LUPEC Seattle

LUPEC February: Eye of the Needle

2012-02-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

Allison at the ready!

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.

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"?

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!

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!

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.

Monica serving it up with a smile!

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.

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!

Be Mine Bitter Valentine

2012-01-28T16:55:00.000-08:00

For the second year in a row Tales of the Cocktail 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......

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 last year!

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 hot red number and get a little bitter. With a cocktail that is! The Bitter Bash is going to be a big ole love affair with Campari, Aperol, Cynar, etc. Talented bartenders from near and far will be stirring and shaking up bitter concoctions. Attendees will be wearing red 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 red and you may just find yourself with a best dressed prize (one each for men and women).

Ticket packages are still on sale! Come join us!

December Meeting: Chino’s Preview Night

2011-12-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

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 DrinkGal. You can also follow her on Twitter. Thanks so much Jackie! ~WM

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 Chino’s, 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 Veronika Goth (formerly of Poppy), it wasn’t hard to get the ladies out on the town, despite the cold December temperatures.

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.

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.

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.

A huge thanks to the owners of Chino’s Walter Lee and Mari Tiscareño Lee 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!

November Meeting: Piscologia at Sambar

2011-11-27T21:04:00.001-08:00

This month's blog post is written by long time LUPEC lady Courtney Randall. Courtney's blog Cocktail Quest 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

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.

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 Piscología, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Piscología 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Boobs, Booze, & Beignets! – October party/charity event

2011-11-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

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.


The official menu for the evening...

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!

Sazerac and raffle ticket

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.

Where Ya At Matt shrimp bread and spicy sauce

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!

Wendy was handing out raffle prizes left and right!

A huge thank you to our raffle donors:

Gilt Group - Totes
Left Coast Libations/Inner Chapter Books - Autographed Copy of Left Coast Libations
Sound Spirits - Ebb & Flow Gin, Ebb & Flow Vodka
Scrappys Bitters - Grapefruit Bitters, Cardamon Bitters, Lavender Bitters, Celery Bitters, bitters travel pack
Woodinville Whiskey - Barrel Aging Kit with 2 Bottles of White Dog
Estrella Salon - choice of $150 worth of Skin Treatments
Mulleady's Pub - gift Card
Cooper & Sons - Pierre Ferand Cognac, Crop Organic Vodka
Pur Spirits - Blood Orange Liquor, Pear Williams Liquor
Novo Fogo - Cachaca Kit with Silver & Gold Novo Fogo, Muddler & Recipe cards
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 Vancouver this Feb
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!
Liberty - gift cards (several!)
Daniel's Broiler - dinner for two
Poquitos - dinner for two
Bathtub Gin - gift card
Rabbit Hole - gift card
The Living Room Bar - gift Card
Bastille - dinner for two
Hotel 1000 - Spahhh Retreat: Two Spa Treatments & Lunch/Dinner
Piscologia- Basket of Piscologia, Peruvian Bitters, recipe and t-shirt, leather handbag from Argentina

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 here. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

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 $500 and we did a total of... drumroll please... $2,360.00!!!! ~Wendy

LUPEC October meeting Swig Well inaugural "Memories in a Glass"

2011-10-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

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

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.

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.

“Memories in a Glass”, the theme of Swig Well, the newest collaboration of Seattle's top shelf bartender started by Rob Roy's 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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Mexican version of Angostura was the magic ingredient to the Platino Fresco

Thank you for the introduction and cheers to your success!!

Reporting from the field... Cameo McRoberts

All photos here
And recipes from the evening are here

August Meeting: Cocktails in the Garden at Poppy

2011-09-07T01:43:00.000-07:00

*August's meeting write up is thanks to Lorraine Goldberg (@voraciousgirl), you can read her articles on Seattlest

This month the ladies of LUPEC had the pleasure spending time in the garden at Poppy for a more intimate meeting. Poppy, 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.

Setting the scene: mini-glasses for champagne and garden fresh herbs.

Pre-Garden Cocktails in the Bar at Poppy! Cheers!

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.

Listening Intently (Or Not)

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.

Wendy and Veronika

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.

Chatting in the garden

Leisurely Conversing and Enjoying the Tranquil Back Garden

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!

Jerry explains his philosophy and favorite uses of herbs in cocktails

The Does and Don'ts of Herb Mixology according to Poppy owner Jerry Tranfield

Jerry sips his favorite the Lemon Verbena Drop (lemon vodka, lemon verbena, limoncello and lemon juice) while mingling with the LUPEC ladies.

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 In The Cups for Seattle Weekly. Cheers!

July LUPEC- Kneehigh Stocking Co.

2011-08-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

What did you think of the class?

June LUPEC Homework Assignments

2011-07-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

June's meeting was a homework assignment:

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:

Zig Zag
Sambar
Copper Gate
MistralKitchen
Mulleady's
Naga Lounge
Liberty Bar
Suite 410
BOKA

Denise, being the consummate professional at all things photography and writing turned hers in first:

Old Cuban, Meet the New/Old Brazilian

I sidled up to the bar at Naga, in Chantanee and was glad to see Michael Kostin 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: Something Old, Something New. 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 Old Cuban, and his latest riff, the Old Brazilian.

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 cachaça, 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 cachaça 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.

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.

Well done Denise, A+ for you (and apologies if I mixed the photos up, let us know in the comments please)

New member Chelsea took this homework on as her very first LUPEC project!

je vois la vie en rose
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 Sambar, 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 cocktails and French-tinged loveliness. We were all intrigued, but I still hadn't been.

My recent acceptance into Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC) 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.

The entrance reminds you that Sambar is closed on Sunday and Monday.

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.

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.

Oh, and I ordered the very French cheese board to accompany my cocktails which came with plenty of delicious bread.

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.

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.

Sambar is located at 425 N.W. Market Street | Seattle, WA 98107

More photos of Sambar on my flickr page.

Kudos Chelsea for the great write up and photos! A+!

Leslie sent in her report about Mulleady's after heading there with Jan one night:

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.

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 *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.

My 3rd drink was the

London Calling

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.

I had a taste of Jan's Manhatten...*Peaty Burns* – Scotch, Lagavulin, Dolin Sweet Vermouth, Benedictine, Pimento Dram. It was quite strong and excellent...

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!

Thanks Leslie! I'm a big fan of the London Calling and the Aged Negroni also. A only for the absence of photos :)

Jan recounted her evening at Mulleady’s also:

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.

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!).

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!

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!

Jan also gets an A, should of had that camera with ya!

Karen Ann Kenyon did double duty by posting her review in the Seattle Cocktail Culture App comments regarding Zig Zag:

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.

When your proteges can carry on without faltering, you know you've done well. Bravo Zulu, Murray!

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

Lauren chose an outing at Rob Roy with some poor ladies not lucky enough to be in LUPEC:

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.

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!

Our fabulous Venezuelan Valentina wrote:

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!)

Hot Charlotte at Tavern Law. Yes, I cheated on Zig Zag.

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!

And last but not lease Courtney says:

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.

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.

An A+ for Courtney and Tracy because even though there are no pictures they went to TWO places!!

I almost missed the note from Rachel, sorry about that lady!! Here's her account of Sambar:

As mentioned here before, I belong to LUPEC Seattle — the local branch of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails. Our monthly outings are masterfully organized by Wendy Miller.
For June, in lieu of our traditional LUPEC gathering, she assigned homework: visit any of the bars LUPEC visited in the last year.
Sambar stood out from her list, but led me to question whether it was really a year ago that I visited last. Turns out, yes, it had been too long. So, when Courtney suggested a few of us gather for a study session, I jumped at the offer.
We convened soon after our workdays, as the sun was still pretty high. I took notes:
- My warm up — Noir Satiné. Rye Whiskey, Strega, Cocchi Vermouth, Black Tea, Lemon Bitters. 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.
- 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 Croque-Monsieur across the table, and ham and grilled cheese turned out to be a delicious accompaniment for the next cocktail.
- Clémence. Genever, Pineau-des-Charentes, Apricot, Créme de Pêche, Lemon, Pastis. The Genever and Pastis bookends in the listing jumped out, and when the drink arrived, it was a refreshing hit with the whole table.
- There was opportunity for more, but responsibility was calling my name.
- Then, right after the tab was settled, I noticed several no-octane options that I would have chosen had I noticed. Ah, next time.
And there will be a next time, especially with Courtney, Tracy, Valentina, Cameo, and Heather. Thank you, ladies, for the great evening!

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 :)

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.

Cheers!

May Meeting- Woodinville Whiskey Co

2011-05-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

With 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.

You can see her full blog at IceClinkDrink, thanks for the post Janice and welcome to the club!

Not Your Pappy’s Moonshine

Last week I got a fun treat and joined Seattle’s LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of the Endangered Cocktail – love that!) group for a private tour of the Woodinville Whiskey Co. Talk about a perk to this blogging stuff!
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 tastings and tours are available to the public each week.

These barrels are in high demand by home and commercial brewers!

While Boss Hogg pursued the Dukes of Hazzard 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!

Green Trellis (created by John Ueding at Trellis Restaurant in Kirkland)

3 slices of cucumber

10-12 mint leaves

1 ½ oz Headlong White Dog Whiskey

1 oz apple cider (they used non-alcoholic, but I think hard cider would also be tasty)

½ oz simple syrup

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.

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.

Cutest cask ever (don't mention that to Dad).

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.

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.

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.

Bonus: Random Bourbon Factoids
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.
Bourbon barrels are made from new white oak by professional called coopers (at a cooperage, naturally).
The insides of the barrels are charred to distillery preference, depending on the flavor profile the distillery seeks.
After the barrels are used just once for bourbon, they are used by other distilleries for beer, Scotch or Irish whisky, rum and tequila.
The alcohol lost to absorption in the cask is called the angels’ share.
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!

Cheers, ICE

April Meeting- BOKA

2011-04-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

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.

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:

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.

#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.

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.

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!

Bishop- Cardinal Mendoza Brandy, Fino Sherry, lemon juice, champagne float, cherry garnish. Another very good cocktail, this one a bit on the tart side.

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!

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!

LUPEC Seattle at Tales in Vancouver

2011-03-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month some of the members of LUPEC attended the Tales of the Cocktail mini event in Vancouver, BC. We had a great time! I wrote a piece about it for my blog which I'm re-posting here.

Additionally there was this great shot of us in the Root tasting suite on Facebook.

Tales of the Cocktail- Vancouver Edition

For the first time Tales of the Cocktail decided to do a mini event and they chose Vancouver, BC for the location. Lucky for me as it is super close, I have friends to visit up there and it's a great drinking and eating place to go. Luckier for me some of the LUPEC ladies and their significant others decided to go too!

Instead of having seminars over multiple days, this mini Tales had you choose 3 seminars all on the same day. Here's what I went to on Monday March 14th.

10:30am: Famous New Orleans Cocktails. A really nice history of the cocktails that were born and bred in NOLA as told by Chris McMillian (bar historian extraordinaire) and Philip Green (descendant of the Peychaud's family) from The Museum of the American Cocktail.

We started the morning with a Sazerac and learned that it was one of the (if not THE) very first cocktail originally "prescribed" by pharmacists to cure what ails ya. Next we were served a Julep along with information of the Juleps and Sherry Cobblers being the original ice drinks. America was first with the building of ice houses and thus America invented the first ice cocktails. In pre Civil War times the Mint Julep was made with Brandy or Rum (to be honest that is still my preferred Julep).

Moving on to the Ramos Gin Fizz we learned of Henry Ramos, the most noted bartender in New Orleans. His bar was not a loud and brash joint but a very upscale retreat for gentleman (ladies weren't allowed in bars at the time). His Gin Fizz was a beloved cocktail and he made it and other libations until Prohibition came into law. On that day he closed his doors and people have been messing about with the original recipe since. There is a great article that was discussed posted here (along with the original recipe). And as part of our education on Mr. Ramos we all shook up a Gin Fizz for our 3rd drink of the morning.

During Prohibition we learned of Izzy & Moe, the notorious alcohol enforcement agents who would dress up in elaborate disguises to find illegal booze and the bartenders/speakeasy's who were providing it. Of course these hard working agents relaxed in their off time with beer and whiskey.

And last but not least we learned the sad tale of the Hurricane. A once delicious cocktail developed to use up the mass quantities of rum that a certain Pat O'Brien bar owner had in his inventory. Marketed to whiskey loving New Orleaners by serving it in a big fancy glass it became a hit. No one knows how it evolved to the slushy regret abhorrence of today, but a real Hurricane is still a great cocktail!

Noon: cocktail count 4

1:30pm: The History and Importance of Ice in Cocktails. Hendrick's ambassadors Charlotte Voisey and Jon Santer's seminar had the best swag ever. Seriously! Hand made Lewis Bags from Allison Weber of Portland and gorgeous wood muddlers to use with them.

Charlotte started by telling us all about Fredrick Tutor, the first person to harvest ice for business, to build and control ice houses to store the blocks and take ice to Havana (as well as other warm weather places). He was a man of great vision and without him we'd probably be drinking warm gin and tonics as the Europeans still do! She discussed refrigeration and it's importance to the time period as well as how ice is actually harvested.

Jon then stepped in and gave us a little lesson about Nathaniel Wyeth, an ice harvester who created just about every ice carving tool still used today. Jon demonstrated how different ice (of both size and shape) dilutes and what size is better for various drinks.

We were served two Cobblers, both without ice but using our new Lewis bags we crushed ice and heaped it into one of them. The other got just a few pieces. After a bit we tried both to see how cold and dilution affected this classic drink. And we learned that if you looked at the the crushed bits of ice they looked like cobblestones, hence the name.

Then Jon pulled out his chain saw and cut up a huge block of crystal clear ice. People donned plastic rain parkas. Of course he did and of course they did, this is Tales after all. Fun tip from the seminar; fill balloons with water and freeze, peel off balloon for different sized ice. I'm making balloon animal ice for our next party.

3:00pm: cocktail count 7

4:00pm: Who's Your Daddy? A Mai Tai Paternity Test. Jeff Berry, the most passionate and dedicated Tiki drink historian around, finally answered the question of who invented the Mai Tai. We listened to "testimony" about Harry Owens, Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber while sipping on various Mai Tai recipes. There weren't any objections and the court most certainly was not in order but the slide show was full of vintage recipes, vessels, bars and island girls.

At the end of it all we came to the conclusion that Don the Beachcomber created something called the QB Cooler which may have influenced Trader Vic in his mixing but the Mai Tai is all Vic's.

Original recipe from the 1940's:

TRADER VIC’S MAI TAI

2 oz Wray & Nephew 17 Year Old Rum
.5 oz orgeat
.5 oz orange curacao
.25 oz simple syrup
Juice of one lime (approx. .75 oz lime juice)

Mix all ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a glass over crushed ice. Garnish with lime shell and a sprig of mint.

5:30pm: cocktail count 9

Of course Tales isn't all seminars and notes. There were parties, cocktails and bar crawls, soup dumplings and midnight croquet, delicious dinner and tasty cochon de lait lunch. Laissez les bon temps roulez, eh?

Evidence

March Meeting- Suite 410

2011-03-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month the ladies and I met up at Suite 410 in downtown Seattle. This little bar has recently re-opened after being closed for about 2 years and is now being managed by the folks across the way at the Mayflower.

Bartender Andre took care of us by making drinks both on the menu and off. The bar also provided some light snacks of cheese, crackers and a spinach dip.

Most of the drinks were really quite tasty (not all the liquor he has to work with is top notch) but I think the fan favorite was their Manhattan Transfer.

It was a relaxing evening just spent chatting about cocktails while imbibing in them.

Suite 410

410 Stewart Street

Seattle WA 98101

http://suite410bar.com/

Cocktails for a Cause, Success!

2011-03-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

It was LUPEC Seattle's first ticketed event to raise money for a local women's charity, this time the Jubilee Women's Center, and it was a great success!

Held in the Aspira Penthouse in downtown Seattle, we couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening. Clear skies coupled with floor to ceiling windows equaled amazing views of Seattle, the Sound and Lake Union. You know the view is gorgeous when everyone who enters stops to gaze before even ordering a cocktail!

Anu Apte, owner of Rob Roy created all the wonderful libations while LUPEC Portland lady Jenn Hegstrom and LCL creator Ted Munat shook and served. We were so lucky to have such great sponsors: Makers 46, Voyager Gin, Corrido Tequilla and Ebb & Flow Vodka. Everyone got 2 cocktails included with their ticket price, those who brought a clothing donation got 1 more. And all the drinks were only $8!

Ethan Stowell Restaurants provided us with delicious bar snacks like bruschetta with fresh ricotta & white anchovy or smoked tuna spread; buffalo milk mozzarella; spicy Copa and soft boiled eggs with a dried tuna loin shaving.

Christina Kuypers was there with the gorgeous Left Coast Libations cocktail book for purchase. Between shaking cocktails Ted was poised with a pen- the autograph king!

And of course we have all these beautiful pictures taken by Chad Pryor. He's in the process of building a new site but for now you can find him at www.chadwiki.com

But of course one of the main reasons were were having this party is to give back to our community. On Monday I went to Jubilee with a whole car load full of clothes. The center was so surprised and excited, we filled their lobby with bags and bags of really nice stuff. And then I mentioned I had a check for them for $500 and they were THRILLED! This was all a surprise and they couldn't believe we picked them as a worthy cause and donated.

So THANK YOU again to all of you who bought tickets and came out in support of LUPEC and Seattle's community. And THANK YOU to our sponsors and worker bees. We hope to do more of these types of events this year. Suggestions? Put them in the comments please!

LUPEC Seattle is Having a Party & Even Boys are Invited!

2011-01-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

LUPEC Seattle Cocktails for a Cause

Saturday February 19, 2011

8pm- 12am

$40 in advance/ $50 at the door

Limited Space!

Join the ladies of LUPEC Seattle at The Penthouse, A Rob Roy Collaboration, for a cocktail party benefiting Jubilee Women’s Center. Enjoy drinks & Seattle’s best view from 37 floors up!

Ticket price includes 2 cocktails by Anu Apte of Rob Roy & Jenn Hegstrom of LUPEC Portland as well as light hors d’Oeuvres. Additional drinks available at the cash bar.

Special guest Ted Munat of the recently published “Left Coast Libations” will be signing copies of his book. Kristina Barnes, owner of Inner Chapters Books will have books for cash or credit card sale $24.95+tax. And who knows which other esteemed bartenders may be on hand to lend a signature as well!

A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to the Jubilee Women’s Center whose mission is “To provide women a safe and supportive place to live and an opportunity to learn while becoming self-reliant in housing and employment”. http://jwcenter.org/index.php/home

Please bring an article of winter women’s or children’s clothing to give to the Center & get an additional drink on us!

Special thanks to our sponsors Makers Mark Whiskey, Ebb&Flow Vodka, Corrido Tequila & Voyager Gin!

Buy your tickets today!

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/154764

January Meeting- Japanese Whisky at Liberty Bar

2011-01-14T12:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! The ladies of Seattle's LUPEC toasted each other with a delicious tasting of 3 Japanese Whiskys (no e in this Whisky) at Capitol Hill's Liberty Bar.

Bar co-owners and whisky enthusiasts Keith Waldbauer & Andrew Friedman were gracious & generous hosts to about 30 of us last week. We had the gorgeous private back room all to ourselves and were welcomed in with glasses of punch which Keith made based on the cocktail "The Japanese Gardner": Yamazaki 12, lemon juice, apricot liqueur, simple syrup and Peychaud bitters. Delish!

We all got a chance to mix and mingle while snacking on some yummy sushi rolls. I think there were about 4 new attendees- welcome!

Andrew then led us in a fantastic side by side tasting and lecture on 3 whiskys. First up was the Hibiki 12, a gorgeous blended whisky partially aged in Japanese Plum Liquor barrels. Lighter and fruitier in flavor, everyone was immediately impressed!

Next we tasted the Yamazaki 12. Unlike the Hibiki this is a single malt whisky and is aged in casks made of American, Spanish and Japanese white oak. The flavor has more dried fruit & wood. A personal favorite of mine (Andrew first introduced me to this before my trip to Japan in 2008) I think it was also the group's favorite of the night.

The final whisky was Yamazaki's 18. A powerful stunner it's the same single malt of the 12 only aged a full 18 years. And although the alcohol % is the same most of us felt it was much hotter. Lots of toasty wood, a dark caramel color and a drier finish this is a beautiful sipping whisky.

Andrew then presented us with a riff on a hot toddy (perfect for that cold evening!) made with the Hibiki 12, a black tea infused syrup and lemon. Thanks go out to Courtney and Cameo for helping to remember what was in that!

After the planned portion of the evening Andrew & Keith left us to continue our in-depth discussions on the fine nuances of Japanese Whisky with the open bottles they had poured from earlier. Dangerous, very very dangerous!

If you were there what did you think of the whisky? Did you have a favorite?

Huge thanks to Liberty- Andrew & Keith! If you couldn't make the meeting or haven't been I absolutely recommend an evening there. Btw their back private room is great and available for parties!

Liberty Bar
517 15th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 323-9898
http://www.libertybars.com/

December Meeting- Novo Fogo & Naga Lounge

2010-12-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

Wow! 2010 has flown by and 2011 is upon us! For our last meeting of the year we were invited to Naga Lounge by Evan Martin and Dragos Axinte of Novo Fogo. LUPEC lady Jackie Moffett wrote a great article about her for her blog DrinkGal and is nice enough to let me republish it here. Be sure to add Jackie's site to your list of reads (p.s. she's got some gift ideas on the site to help with your holiday shopping!)

Thank you Jackie and drinkgal.com!

What to do with a bottle of (delicious) Novo Fogo Brazilian Cachaca

by: DrinkGal

When most people think of cachaça, they think of Caipirinhas and very little else. As a bartender, for years we would have the same lonely bottle of cachaça sitting on the shelf for months, and when a patron would ask “what do you use that for?” I would pull it down and mix up a Caipirinha, explaining its fame (the national alcoholic drink of Brazil) and that cachaça is a cousin of rum, made from sugar cane instead of molasses.

Most cachaça has a smoky, gasoline-like quality that would be considered charming to some in a caipirinha, but one would be hard pressed to find another drink where the spirit would add anything that a good rum couldn’t do better. For the life of me I didn’t have another recipe to offer anyone interested in the Brazilian rum cousin.

Enter Novo Fogo, a line of USDA certified organic, cachaça from Morretes, Brazil, now available stateside to thirsty American imbibers. Distilled in gorgeous setting on the edge of an idyllic rainforest in a zero waste distillery, and bottled in handmade bottles made of recycled glass, it has already put itself in a different class than most of its cohorts.

LUPEC Seattle (Ladies United in the Preservation of the Endangered Cocktail) teamed up with Novo Fogo for our December meeting, making this tasting possible. We got a chance to catch up with Dragos Axinte, one of the owners of the brand (the other is his lovely wife Emily), to learn why Novo Fogo is a cachaça of another breed.

Tasting Notes

Dragos started with explaining why indeed most cachaça tastes of gasoline. “Sugar cane often grows on the side of the highway,” he says. It is a product of its environment, and just like the sea air affects the flavor of an Islay Scotch, “the pollution permeates the sugar cane and leaves flavor behind.” Most sugar cane used for cachaça is harvested by burning the field, which also leaves a mark on the cane, explaining the intensely smoky qualities. “Throw a little engine oil flavor into the mix, brought forward by the tractors and machinery that pick up and process the cane, and you have the makings of a typical industrial cachaça.”

Novo Fogo has two types: Silver and Aged. We were lucky enough to try both, and here is how they tasted:

First of all, both were very smooth. Part of this, Dragos explains, is because Novo Fogo cuts instead of burns when they harvest the cane. Also missing? That gasoline flavor we were talking about earlier. The distillery is at the edge of the Floresta Atlântica rainforest (the other Brazilian rainforest, it seems), there is only one road in, and it is nowhere near the fields of cane.

The Silver ($28) is as you would expect, clear. It’s ‘rested’ for a year in stainless steel, so It is floral on the nose, with hints of banana and lime. It doesn’t linger on your palate, with a citrusy and slightly salty taste, caused by the sea breeze that moves up the mountain from the coast. It is, by far, the most pleasant of any cachaça we have ever tried, and while we didn’t try it in a caipirinha, we imagine it to be a lovely experience indeed.

The Aged ($35) is er, aged, in re-purposed bourbon casks for two years. Re-purposed is different than 'used' because it is pressure washed, sanded, and re-toasted. Because of that it has characteristics of a scotch or aged tequila, and yet its profile remains distinct in that it is more fruity and floral than either. As with scotch, the nose is saturated with vanilla and hints of toffee, and the dominating flavor we tasted was banana bread.

Recipes

Our tasting was held at Chantanee in Bellevue, and therefore we had the mixology skills of Evan Martin at our disposal. What lucky girls we were! He served up 3 delicious cocktails for our meeting: the Negroni Doce (a twist on a classic Negoni), Brazilian Grog (a twist on a rum punch), and a Quentao (perfect for the holidays!).

Happy mixing!

Negroni Doce

1 oz. Novo Fogo Silver
1 oz. Aperol
1 oz. Rose Vermouth
2 dashes Bittermen's Grapefruit bitters

Stir all ingredients over ice, strain into coupe glass. Garnish with grapefruit zest.

Brazilian Grog

2 oz. Novo Fogo Gold
0.66 oz. Grog Mix (equal parts Allspice Dram, Cointreau, and Honey Syrup)
0.5 oz lime
1 oz Orange
3 dashes coffee tincture

Shake briefly, strain over crushed ice in old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

(This one was by far our favorite! Talk about a delicious dram...)

Quentao (hot Brazilian punch)

1.5 oz. Novo Fogo Gold
0.5 oz. Ginger Syrup
6 oz. Mulled Cider (hot)
cinnamon stick garnish

Stir together gently. Serve in glassware that won't burn your fingers!

Cheers! Or as they say in Brazil, Saude!

______

For more information on LUPEC Seattle: www.lupecseattle.blogspot.com/

For more information about Novo Fogo: www.novofogo.com

And finally, for more information about Chantanee, Bellevue: www.chantanee.com

Thanks again to Jackie for letting me republish this and thanks to all of you for supporting LUPEC Seattle. If you have a favorite meeting memory over the last year feel free to post it in the comments section. Additionally if there is a place or a subject you’d like to see in 2011 put that in there too.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!

November Meeting- Sauced!

2010-12-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

I see that I never commented on November's outing, apologies! Us ladies went out on the town and attended "Sauced" a "cocktail theater" show of sorts. Chef Nordo teamed with Murray Stenson of Zig Zag to provide interesting cocktails and nibbles during this tale of love, intrigue and libations.

The first drink served was called The Slippage. Blanquette de Limoux sparkling wine and St. Germaine. Next up came The Secret Kiss AKA The Alaska: Yellow Chartreuse and Pacifique Distillery Gin from Woodinville. 3rd in line was A Box of Nails AKA The Crumb Bum: Evan Williams Bourbon, Triple Sec and dashes of Angostura. Stirred, never shaken. For dessert there was a sweet chocolaty concoction called Nordo's Ephemera.

It was a fun evening and a chance to see a little theater which held our beloved booze in the spotlight!

(Thank you Tracey Meeker for the photo!)

10 Q's for a LUPEC Lady- Sonja Groset

2010-12-02T16:05:00.000-08:00

1) what is your name, your LUPEC cocktail name & why did you pick that?

Vesper, because it sounds like either a fast Italian sports car or the name of a stripper. Plus, it was my gateway drink to Gin and it's delicious. Further proof that Lillet makes everything taste amazing.

2) what is your profession?

Web Producer to pay the bills; Food Writer to subsidize my passion for cooking and eating. I just started writing reviews of cookbooks and cocktail books for the Seattle Weekly online at http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/cooking_the_books/.

3) What was your favorite cocktail before you new any better?

Rum and Coke: "Teaching teens to drink for decades."

4) What's the worst cocktail ever and where did you drink it?

The worst cocktails I've had are the ones I've made myself at home. I'm not great at improvisational cocktail making. For me, it's like baking - all about precision. Maybe someday I can riff a great cocktail...but I have many more years of training. It'll be hard work, I know.

5) If you could ban 1 drink what would it be?

Anything in a souvenir glass.

6) If you could have a drink with anyone, living/dead, who would it be and why?

For me, the best drinking partners are ones that are hilarious, energetic and chatty. For those reasons, Amy Sedaris would be my drinking partner of choice. Plus, she's a great writer, baker and craftaholic. She has a book called "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence." That's my kind of gal!

7) What are your favorite non cocktail activities/hobbies/interests?

Cooking, baking and snowboarding. I'm obsessed with my three cats - and all animals to be honest. My husband and I are in the process of remodeling our Mid-Century Modern home, so MCM design and anything DIY. Also travel, beer and wine. Especially wine tasting while traveling, while drinking beer. I have a food blog at satisfythecraving.com where I generally write about it all.

8) How did you first hear about LUPEC?

Twitter - where I seem to hear about all great things these days.

9) What is your go to drink or spirit?

Manhattan. Anything with Bourbon really. Or just Bourbon, neat.

10) What is your favorite cocktail bar and/or bartender right now?

We visited the Jimgerman Bar in Waitsburg (near Walla Walla) and can't stop talking about it. We had some great cocktails. Jim uses lots of fresh juices and herbs in his drinks. He made a Gin convert out of my husband which I had not yet been able to do (see question #4). Plus Waitsburg is an adorable town and is a great side trip from Walla Walla.

Do be sure to check out Sonja's blogs if you haven't already. She is a great writer, dedicated drinker and a hell of a good time to be around! Thanks for being in our spotlight Ms. Vesper!

October Meeting- Mulleady's

2010-10-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

October is the 1 year birthday of LUPEC Seattle! Our first meeting was at Naga Lounge in Bellevue, there were about 12 of us and Andrew Bohrer was our bartender.

How things have changed! Andrew is now at MistralKitchen, we've had 10 monthly meetings, 1 homework assignment, 1 class, 1 national meet up and there are generally 30-35 members participating regularly. Good job ladies! It's been a fun year and especially great to get to know you all better.

We celebrated our birthday with the exceptionally nice folks at Mulleady's. They went all out creating a menu of cocktails that had elements of orange (a traditional 1st anniversary food) like theZelda Gatsby (Ransom Gin, Gewurtztraminer syrup, orange bitters and a touch of fire) and the Orange Marmalade Sour (Cachca, Lemon, Lime, Sugar, Egg White & Marmalade) - even sending each of us home with a little jar of marmalade!

Complimentary snacks (you sure look nice!) were also served. Peat smoked nuts, martini marinated olives, savory pumpkin beignets, arancini with blue cheese and almond orange olive oil cake. The bar really went out of their way to make us feel welcome and I'd say it worked.

Mulleady's is a very cozy space complete with fireplace. Craft cocktails served in nice glassware and an extremely friendly staff. Big thanks to them for hosting and making us feel so welcome. Special shout out to Travis who made it all happen!

If you didn't get a chance to join us be sure to visit Magnolia & Mulleady's!

10 Q's for a LUPEC Lady- Cameo McRoberts

2010-10-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

I know we haven't had a "10 Q's" lately & I apologize- the summer totally got away from me!

1) What is your LUPEC cocktail name & why did you pick that?

My cocktail name- I waffled back and forth between apple pucker shot and this one, finally I decided to go with Alaska Cocktail. Giving props to my heritage.

2 dashes orange bitters
1 1/2 oz gin
3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse®
1 twist lemon peel
ice

2) what is your profession?
chef, and other stuff

3) What was your favorite cocktail before you new any better?
whiskey and ginger 'whiskey press'

4) What's the worst cocktail you ever had and where did you drink it?
I had a Death in the Afternoon made with 'home made' absinthe.. it was awful, but what made it the worst was I was then chastised for not appreciating absinthe! I won't say where because I am not a spitful person.

5) If you could ban 1 drink what would it be?
red bull and anything!!!!

6) If you could have a drink with anyone, living/dead, who would it be and why?
Going the I miss them and would just love to see them route: My Grandpa and Grandma collectively

and the famous route : Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Janis Joplin, Neil Young, the cast of 'how I met your mother'... Tina Fey.... Tim Robbins (though I hear he's a jerk) Anthony Bourdain

7) What are your favorite non cocktail activities/hobbies/interests?

I sing and play guitar. I also am big on crafty stuff... you know I like to glue stuff to other stuff

8) How did you first hear about LUPEC?

Erin Williams from Cointreau told me about it at Tales, and I vaguely recall being there when the first meeting was being planned but I couldn't make it. I love that it has caught on and continues to provide a night out a month to put on something a little fancy, hang out with such a diverse set of killer ladies and support the ever amazing talent in this town. and the rest is HERstory...

9) What is your go to drink or spirit?

Depending on mood and climate it was bourbon but I am becoming more of a Rye girl and I love me a Negroni almost all the time.

10) What is your favorite cocktail bar and/or bartender right now?

I love Sambar cause it is in walking distance from my house and I think Eric at Moshi Moshi is a rock-star, but I am just constantly in awe of the whole community and am grateful that the list of great bars is so long and so diverse and that often I am not only getting a great cocktail but it's being made by a friend. Bonus

Thank you Cameo, great answers you crafty drinker! If you haven't had a chance to meet Cameo be sure to introduce yourself to her at the next LUPEC meeting.

pür Spirits, MistralKitchen & LUPEC

2010-09-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

It was another great meeting in September, this time with Kiki Braverman and her line of pür Spirits taking center stage at MistralKitchen. Kiki's company distills interesting liqueurs and vodkas in Germany. The business is in the process of moving from Seattle to San Francisco so it was a great opportunity for the ladies to hear all about it before she left.

MistralKitchen's bar manager Andrew Bohrer came up with 5 specialty cocktails each using the pür Spirits products.

-Roman Holiday: pür Blood Orange, Earl Grey tea, orange juice, Cabernet, Tuaca

-Pear Caipirinha: pür Pear Liqueur, muddled lime and Cachaca

-Stonewall Cocktail: pür Beirbrand, pür Elderflower Liqueur, dash of biters (in the style of a Manhatten)

-Sloe Collins: pür Sloe Vodka, lemon, Cassis & soda

-Framboise Sour: pür Framboise Vodka, lemon, sugar, egg white and Absinthe

Andrew, Amber and the team did a fantastic job keeping up with the drink orders and even resorting to alternative glassware when the dishwasher wasn't as fast as they needed. And the space at MistralKitchen was great! One private room with lots of cubes to sit on and another semi private space perfect for mingling and chatting. I kept noticing patrons of the restaurant looking at our group, wondering why we were having such a good time & they weren't invited (especially the men! ha!)

Chef and owner William Belickis and his kitchen sent out amazing pork belly sliders, cheese plates and pizzas. Pastry Chef Neil Robertson sent out delicious chocolate brownie bites right at the end of the evening.

Big thanks to everyone who made the night so much fun! And all the best to Kiki in her new home of San Francisco!

MistralKitchen
2020 Westlake Ave
Seattle Wa 98121
206-623-1922
http://mistral-kitchen.com

Rum, Rhum, Ron!

2010-08-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

August 16th was National Rum Day but us LUPEC ladies, having little patience, celebrated all things rum on Saturday Aug. 7th with a class given by LUPEC member, Eastcoast transplant and all around kick ass bartender Marley Tomic Beard.

This was LUPEC Seattle's first ticketed event and it was a big success (I hope those of you who attended would agree). Held at Spur and limited to just 30 seats the event was a sell out. Chef and owners Brian McCracken and Dana Tough set out nice platters of nibbles to help soak up the booze. Marley and Michael, her assistant for the day, set out lots and lots of glasses. Notes on the discussion were passed around and we were ready for our education to begin!

Class started with an overview of the various types of rums, how they are made and what their characteristics are. We sampled Bacardi Light, Mont Gay, Bacardi 8, Meyers, Aniversario, Zaya, El Dorado 15, Sailor Jerry, Lemonhart and Matusalem. Many of the ladies had not had a chance to taste a lot of these so there was lots of discussion and even some voting of favorites!

And there were cocktails! After the overview Marley discussed tiki drinks with us. We were treated to a Planter's Punch, dueling Mai Tai's using Trader Vic's and Don the Beachcomber's recipes (Trader Vic's winning that if I remember correctly) and a Zombie.

A big shout out of thanks to Anne Magoon who couldn't attend but helped to make this happen! Marley for all the amazing work you did on the class, the notes and the recipes! Michael for dealing with all of the estrogen in the room and working your ass off! Dana & Brian for having us in during your normal time off! And of course to all you ladies who made the event fun and successful! THANKS!

If you attended the class I'd love to hear your thoughts and also your ideas on additional classes you'd like to see offered. Feel free to write in the comment section or send me a note directly on Facebook.

All awesome photos are courtesy of LUPEC lady Valentina Vitols. If you haven't had a chance to meet her be sure to do so at our next event and be sure to check out her work here -> http://valentinavitols.com/

July Meeting- Copper Gate

2010-08-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

I think I speak for all of us when I say July's meeting was one of our most fun to date. Thanks to Jon and his kind offer from the Copper Gate in Ballard who invited us to have our meeting in the very private "Pussy Room". It was a full house with about 35 ladies joining in on the fun. The Copper Gate staff plied us with aquavit cocktails like the Stor Agurk (The Big Cucumber) and delicious appetizers throughout the evening.

Jon took a few minutes to tell us all the history of the bar as well as some of the interesting entertainment they have in the private room on week days. Can you say trapeze?

And everyone got to see all the old porn photos that decorate every wall. Some of us even saw the "good stuff" in the boys room! Such trouble makers we are!

Again many thanks to Jon, Joann and the crew for making our July meeting a hell of a good time! If you weren't able to join us I encourage you to get to Copper Gate and if you did and you liked it I encourage you to put it in your regular rotation! Skoal!

Copper Gate

6301 24th Avenue Nw
(between 63rd St & 64th St)
Seattle, WA 98107

(206) 706-3292

www.thecoppergate.com

LUPEC Member Cameo Roberts in the Press

2010-07-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it one of our members was just featured in Seattlemet.com. Check out the great article on Cameo Roberts here:

http://www.seattlemet.com/blogs/sauced/five-questions-bartender-cameo-mcroberts-070710/

10 Q's For a LUPEC Lady- Jennifer Burch

2010-07-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

1) what is your your LUPEC cocktail name & why did you pick that?

The Liberal, because the main ingredient is bourbon which is my favorite spirit and the name describes me politically. It was also the first drink Murray made for me at ZigZag.

2) what is your profession?

Software Developer.

3) What was your favorite cocktail before you new any better?

I remember going through a brief Amaretto Sour phase, fortunately that didn’t last long because they never tasted like they contained actual booze.

4) What's the worst cocktail ever and where did you drink it?

Not exactly a cocktail but we were up skiing once with friends and one of them had this Romanian moonshine in a flask. It was horrible, but I kept drinking it.

5) If you could ban 1 drink what would it be?

I can only ban 1? Mixing coke with really good bourbon gives me pause. I have no problems with bourbon and coke, just don’t use your top shelf stuff.

6) If you could have a drink with anyone, living/dead, who would it be and why?

I’d love to have a drink with Julia Child. She changed everything. I’d wager she could put it away too.

7) What are your favorite non cocktail activities/hobbies/interests?

Cooking, gardening, cycling, poker, pottery. There are some backpacking trips in my near future.

8) How did you first hear about LUPEC?

Through Wendy Miller of course!

9) What is your go to drink or spirit?

Despite bourbon being my first true love, I can always drink a Martini. Hendrix gin, with a healthy dose of vermouth.

10) What is your favorite cocktail bar and/or bartender right now?

Does the sports book at the Mirage Las Vegas count? I really like the crew at Naga bar.

If you haven't met Jen yet be sure to seek her out at the next LUPEC meeting, she's sure to be there as she has only missed one! I did take a really funny picture of Jen in the bathroom at Copper Gate to use for this post but she didn't have a drink in her hand and we have reputations to uphold! Jen thanks for taking the time to answer these hard hitting questions. cheers!

June Meeting- Sambar

2010-07-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Seattle has so many great cocktail bars as the ladies of LUPEC are finding out. Many of them are small, intimate places best enjoyed with a few friends- Sambar is such a place. Situated next to Le Gourmand, the fantastic French restaurant owned by chefs Bruce and Sara Naftaly, Sambar seats just a handful inside and if the weather is nice another handful outside in their charming garden.

June's meeting was a homework assignment to check out Sambar and report back. Here's what you said!

Cameo McRoberts: I had the pleasure of going to Sambar twice this month. The Lucky Luke is the only drink I have had on the new menu, it's so good I can't bring myself to order anything else! luckily I have friends who like to share sips. Last week I had the pleasure of snacking on tons of delicious frites with @lindsey Johnson @heather Jones @Kathy Casey. (Wendy: edited to remove BOYS names! LOL!!!)

Erin Boudreau: So Daynah Burnett and I went to Sambar for the June "homework" meeting. I was supposed to give you notes. But I can't for the life of me remember what the hell went down. See you Wednesday! (W: I'm assuming Erin & Daynah had a great time based on these detailed notes!)

Kiki Braverman of pür spirits: Michael at Sambar made us great pür drinks on Thursday. We went back for more last night!

on the right: pear+ vermouth on the left: framboise+ gin...and secret ingredients. (W: thanks for this great picture Kiki!)

Lorraine Goldberg: My cocktails: Celestine- Cachaa, Aquavit, Rhubarb, Lime and some candied fennel.- On the lighter side, a bit sweet but not too fruity. A refreshing complexity of flavors, this is a drink I could certainly drink several on a warm summer evening.

Arabesque- Anejo rum, east india sherry, Seville orange and sage.- Absolutely loved this drink- beautiful rum flavor, the sherry added a nice sweetness combined with the Seville orange.

Both cocktails were well crafted, each highlighting specific flavors in the drink. SamBar is one of my favorite bars in the Seattle area. Small space, with one of the best outdoor spaces in the city. I love the modern look of the space.

Tucked away in the Ballard neighborhood, it reminds me of what an old fashion speakeasy would be like. Stylish and masterful mixology, you really can’t go wrong with any of the cocktails on the menu. Oh and the French fries are amazing!

Anne Magoon: Fond memories with you and Anu. I believe I told Michael that if his Van der Valk Cocktail was a man I would throw him on the bar and do him!! So balanced and delish. Perfect for clean cocktail for summer. (W: great time with you and Anu also!! I think we kept Michael on his toes)

Wendy Miller: My drinks that evening were the Lucky Luke which I loved with it's balance of Old Tom Gin, Amaro Nonino, Sassafras & Sarsaparilla and the Gitane du Nord, I'm a big fan of the aquavit!

Eden Rain: We stopped in at Sambar last night & while I may have failed in that none of my drinks were “endangered” they were of course excellent.

I started with the Corcovada which is comprised of cachaca, spiced coconut water, lime & orange peel. Just lovely and very light handed for something that sounds very tiki inspired.

Next I let Jay “make me something” which turned out to be a schizandra berry daiquiri. Fruity and peppery and girly pink!

Last up was the Pincoya: Pisco, lavender, red velvet apricot and lemon. This was a perfectly balanced cocktail - all the ingredients blended to create a new flavor rather than it tasting of any individual ingredient.

As always Jay rocked it, and of course the frites & croque monsieur to soak up the alcohol were a tasty addition. (W: thanks Eden, great notes!)

Jennifer Burch: Lucky Luke (old tom gin, amaro Nonio, sassafras, sarsaparilla, lemon) - it was OK
Gitane du Norde ( Aquavit, melon, sherry, mint) - this drink I liked a LOT but the aquavit was really subtle. If I hadn't seen the ingredients, I might not have guessed aquavit was in there.
Old Fashioned - this was one of the best old fashioned I have ever had. Thoroughly enjoyed it. BUT it was also my third drink, so, grain of salt.
Toronto - Elisabeth got a Toronto and I think he entirely omitted the simple syrup which is surprising because Jay's drinks seem to run to the sweet side.
Also of mention, Nicole ordered the Basil Julep which I will be attempting to replicate at home.
Food wise we had pommes frites and the cheese plate. I would have picked up that cheese plate and licked the cheese residue if I had been at home. Yum!
Another bonus, weather was decent and we got to sit out in the courtyard, lovely. (edited by W for content and BOYS! :p)

Courtney Randall & Tracy Meeker: For our first round I had the Baie des Anges and Tracy had the Lantana. The Baie des Anges is made with reposado sotol (Hacienda de Chihuahua), fino sherry, angelica syrup, and yellow chartreuse, and it is served over ice with a beautiful garnish of lemon peel surrounding a sprig of angelica leaves. The most rich agave sweetness of the sotol was tempered with the dry nuttiness of the sherry, and the herbal notes of the angelica and chartreuse came through more on the swallow. The Lantana was made of rhum agricole, eucalyptus syrup, sour cherry (puree, I think) and Averna. A tiny eucalyptus leaf dotted the top of this reddish drink. You could smell the combination of the eucalyptus and the grassy agricole before each taste. The cocktail was perfectly balanced between the sweet/funky flavors of the agricole and the dry/tartness the sour cherry. These two flavors carried the drink along, though each sip ended with the menthol flavors of the eucalyptus and the herbalness of the amaro.

To accompany our drinks we chose the frites, and they were very tasty.
For our second round, I had the Van der Valk and Tracy chose the Recoleta. The Van der Valk combines genever gin (Boomsma, I later found out), apricot eau de vie, blanco vermouth, and peach bitters. The garnish was a slice of apricot sitting in the clear liquid. The aroma was full of peaches and apricots, which almost overwhelmed the malty genever notes. To me this is what told me that the drink contained Boomsma genever, instead of the Bols, which has a much stronger scent and flavor profile. The genever was ever-present, but in a subtle manner. Some sips seemed dry and fruity, with the apricot and peach bitters. Others sips were a bit sweeter and maltier, ending with an herbal taste. The drink was simply wonderful.
Tracy was bold in her decision as the Recoleta's base spirit is Fernet Branca. The other ingredients are maté honey, grapefruit juice, grapefruit bitters, and a champagne top. The aroma is full of Fernet, which is understandable. The taste was surprising as the herbal bitter superpower was balanced by the combination of citrus and honey. A hint of grapefruit dotted each sip, but its presence was so important to create the complex flavors. The champagne kept everything sparkly, light and dry. We both agreed that this was an astoundingly good cocktail.

We also had dinner at Sambar. I had the broccoli soufflé with a lemon-thyme béchamel. Tracy had the homemade linguini tossed with morels and snow peas, and topped with a poached egg. There may have been more elements in the linguini dish but I can't remember them. Sorry. Both dishes were wonderful and expertly done.
After dinner, we were given a little cocktail that the Jay Kuehner made on the fly. It seems that my note-taking caught his attention and he referred to this after-dinner cocktail as our quiz. It has no name but was made of mezcal with some strawberry puree, a splash of Campari, a dash of syrup, and a dash of salt. The garnish was a tiny ripe strawberry. The mezcal was the del Maguey Minero, and it was so smoky it reminded me of some of the smokier Islay scotches. The dryness of the Campari kept the strawberry in check and the salt made the entire drink sing. (W- Welcome ladies, great to have you in the group!)

Looks like the Lucky Luke and the Van Der Valk were the popular drinks last month. Thanks to all of you for checking out Sambar and taking such detailed notes (ah hem Erin! LOL!) and photos and getting them back to me. Thanks to Michael and Jay for being such great hosts! Discussing cocktails and ingredients while (re)introducing ladies to great drinks and bars around Seattle is exactly what I'd like our chapter to continue to be about. Bravo!!

Sambar:

425 N.W. Market Street | Seattle, WA 98107 | 206.781.4883

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - 5:30 p.m. to Midnight

Friday Saturday - 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

10 Q's For a LUPEC Lady- Anu Apte

2010-06-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

LUPEC Seattle- What is your name, your LUPEC cocktail name & why did you pick that?

Anu Apte- My LUPEC name is 20th Century. I chose this name for many reasons, here are two: The ingredients are unique and so different, but once mixed they balance each other out in such a lovely manner and obviously I was born in the 20th century.

LS- What is your profession?

AA- I am a bartender/owner at Rob Roy.

LS- What was your favorite cocktail before you knew any better?

AA- I turned 21 in the early 2000's so of course I was all about Cosmo's, Lemon drops, and Kamikazes. Apparently, I was really into citrus.

LS- What's the worst cocktail you ever drank and where did you drink it?

AA- A lady never tells.

LS- If you could ban 1 drink what would it be?

AA- None. I think people should be able to drink what they want even if I don't like it or like making it.

LS- If you could have a drink with anyone, living/dead, who would it be and why?

AA- Gandhi, because after one drink he would be wasted! It would be fun to hang out with drunk Gandhi and pick his brain.

LS- What are your favorite non cocktail activities/hobbies/interests?

AA- I'm really looking forward to pulling my long board out of storage for the summer. I just got into yoga in a major way.

LS- How did you first hear about LUPEC?

AA- I first heard about LUPEC while searching blogs online then I met some wonderful LUPEC ladies in New Orleans 2009 and fell in love with the idea of Seattle having one.

LS- What is your go to drink or spirit?

AA- Don't really have a go to. Is that weird? I guess since I bartender and literally have hundreds of bottles to choose from it is easy for me to switch it up on a nightly basis.

LS- What is your favorite cocktail bar and/or bartender right now?

AA- Rob Roy, of course! I'm biased obviously, but I love the vibe, the guests, the music, the location, and of course the wonderful staff.

Zane, Philip, and Bryn really know how to create phenomenal cocktails, and fast too!

As Anu mentioned you can find her at Rob Roy in Belltown. We had a fantastic meeting there in March and if you haven't been you really should go! Additionally Anu has been written up for her cocktail creations on other sites- Seattle Met, -Metblogs, - SFGate
Bonus points for wanting to get Gandhi drunk!

May Meeting - Teardrop Lounge, Portland Oregon

2010-06-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

You want to know how awesome the Seattle chapter of LUPEC is? We are so awesome that we spread our drinking dollars all the way down to our smaller but possibly more charming neighbor to the south, Portland!

13 of us met at the Teardrop Lounge last Saturday night for a hell of a good time and some crazy awesome cocktails! Bartenders Ricky and Brian were working off the new menu which features 10 House Cocktails, 10 Classics and 10 'Friends' Cocktails (from bartenders around the states). For those of you light on the maths skills that is a menu with 30 freaking cocktails on it, all with about 4 ingredients each. Serious kudos Teardrop! SERIOUS!!!

No slouches themselves, Mary and Émilee took care of us like the pros that they are. Keeping track of everyone's orders for "Bidú Cocktails", "Thief in the Nights", "Apple of Discords" and the like. And what about the 2 rounds of "Dementia Pugilistica Punch" and all the pretty punch cups? (Thanks to Jamie Boudreau for the 2nd one!) And don't even get me started on that Piña Colada! I'm spoiled forever now!

Another awesome shout out for Portland gal Allison who came by and showed us her handcrafted Lewis Bags. I can't wait to order one!!

After our "official meeting" some of us headed to Thatch where Trader Tiki himself was working. Unfortunately I don't think Blair realized how many of us might be stopping by and was possibly a little overwhelmed by our Team Seattle Awesomeness. There was something flaming sent out and a little mix it yourself cocktail passed around in pitchers. I didn't catch the names of either but no worries.

Thank you to both the ladies who made the trek from Seattle (Lauren, Eden, Rachel, Jen, Elisabeth, Elise, Stevi, Marcie, Gisla, Erin) and also the great women from Portland who joined us (Karie, Michelle, Allison, Mary and Émilee)! I hope you'll get that PDX LUPEC thing in full swing!

What was your favorite cocktail of the night? I think I have to go with the Piña Colada, I mean I've had them a million times but that one is off the charts!

I'll have the rest of the pictures posted on the Facebook Event page soon, you should do the same!

Rails & Cocktails

2010-05-29T15:26:00.001-07:00

I rolled into Portland last night on the 5:30 pm train with Dayne, fellow LUPEC lady Lauren & her hubby Paul. I've taken trains all over Europe but this was my first Amtrak ride to Portland & it was fun, fun, fun!

Granted I had packed a picnic of sorts with baguette, olives, 2 kinds of cheeses & some salami. Paul had brought along a Tupperware of pre-batched martinis, ice, shaker, cocktail glasses & lemon twists. There was enough for 3 1/2 rounds! Let me just say that martinis make the time pass quickly.

So although your not technically allowed to bring booze onboard in the coach section we kept it on the down low and no one said boo. Now if we had started hand carving ice balls a la Rob Roy it may have not gone as well :)

Looking forward to tonights meet up, some of the Portland LUPEC girls are joining us also!

Cheers!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:SW Washington St,Portland,United States

Taking This Show on the Road!

2010-05-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

Just to mix things up a bit (pun intended) this month the LUPEC ladies are headed down to Portland, Oregon and the well know, well loved Teardrop Lounge. Owners Daniel Shoemaker and Ted Charak opened their bar about 3 years ago and have been impressing customers ever since. Fanatical about quality products you'll find syrups, bitters, tonic, infusions and the like all made in house. They have an impressive cocktail menu of interesting original drinks as well as the classics.

Our meeting (just like the date and the location) will be a bit different this time in that it will start at 8:00pm on Saturday May 29 and we will have a reserved section until 9:30pm. Very nice of Teardrop to host us on a busy Saturday night! Cocktails range in price from $9-$12 and the bar offers some very nice food also. As in the past please RSVP if you are planning on attending so we can give the guys a head count and bring cash for easier settling of tabs.

Additionally Blair Reynolds aka Trader Tiki will be behind the stick at Thatch that same night. Blair has told me that there may or may not be pineapples and awesome tiki drinks awaiting if anyone chooses to head over after our meeting! Guaranteed you'll find me with a tiki drink in hand sometime after 10pm. If you haven't met Blair or had a tiki drink crafted by him you are missing out!

And now that we are talking about Portland, aren't we lucky to live so close to another great food and drink city? I'm sure we'll get around and get to trying other places as well. I'd love for you all to report back after our meeting on other places you sussed out quality cocktails (or were expecting to but were disappointed). So where else are you planning to go? Clyde Common? Beaker and Flask? Others?

See you next Saturday night!! Cheers!

10 Q's for a LUPEC Lady- Stevi Deter

2010-05-02T11:19:00.000-07:00

CORRECTION!! Please see below for the real answer to Stevi's first question. What can I say? I had been imbibing during this interview ;)

This month's installment of 10 questions goes to Stevi:

1) what is your name, your LUPEC cocktail name & why did you pick that?

Stevi Deter, Mayflower. The Mayflower is very tasty & effervescent. Not like me at all :)

( Mayflower Cocktail
   2 dashes.  orange bitters
   1 1/2 oz.  sweet vermouth
   1/2 oz.  brandy
   1/2 oz.  dry vermouth
   1 tsp.  Cointreau orange liqueur
   1 tsp.  Pernod licorice liqueur

Procedure/Directions:

Pour the vermouth, brandy, Pernod, Cointreau and bitters into a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes. Stir well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.)

The real answer is the May Blossom (which makes much more sense considering the effervescence that was mentioned) And the May Blossom Fizz is indeed on Stevi's blog. But the Mayflower still sounds good too!

http://www.twoatthemost.com/may-blossom-fizz/

Sorry about that Stevi!

2) what is your profession?

I write code

3) What was your favorite cocktail before you new any better?

Midori Sour

4) What's the worst cocktail ever and where did you drink it?
A Gin & Tonic which was undrinkable. The bar gave me a glass of gin with just enough tonic to make it glow in their black-light

5) If you could ban 1 drink what would it be?
Vodka Soda. It says "I just want to get drunk", it doesn't taste like anything!

6) If you could have a drink with anyone, living/dead, who would it be and why?
Vladimir Nabokov (Lolita) because he is someone who oozes intelligence.

7) What are your favorite non cocktail activities/hobbies/interests?
I ride Peruvian horses, blog about spirits and cocktails and read a lot of foreign literature

8) How did you first hear about LUPEC?
I started following the LUPEC Boston blog about 2 years ago.

9) What is your go to drink or spirit?
Gin & Tonic. Voyager gin at home, Beefeater out.

10) What is your favorite cocktail bar and/or bartender right now?
Andrew Bohrer at Mistral Kitchen

Be sure to check out Stevi's blog (which strangely doesn't have the Mayflower in it!) You can also follow her on Twitter @smd

Danielle Fague on BarSmarts

2010-04-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

LUPEC Seattle member Danielle Fague is participating in the BarSmarts program. I asked her if she would send me a short write up about it for our blog and she was nice enough to do just that. Read on!

Bar Smarts part 1

A couple months ago I was at one of the bars I love to frequent Liberty. Andrew Friedman the owner and a buddy of mine was there and had these cards for an event called Bar Smarts. Looked pretty cool. A class dedicated to the art of bartending and classic cocktails. Sounded like fun but I figured this is an event folks in the industry, not for me.

Andrew said no way that I should totally sign up so I did. I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Bar Smarts kit last month and one day when the UPS man buzzed my unit I knew that’s what it was. When I got home that night I was like a little kid on Christmas. I couldn’t wait to open it up and see what was inside. It had lots of great stuff: A whole basic bar kit including a muddler, a nice backpack and our training DVDs and book.

I went and found a highlighter and started reading! Unfortunately it was around 1:30 and probably past my bed time so low and behold after a few pages of reading and highlighting I fell asleep with my highlighter in hand and glasses still on. Woke up to a beautiful yellow spot on my duvet cover L

Since then I’ve been reading my workbook and making note cards for the classic cocktails we need to know. Seeing as how I know very little about bartending and classic drinks I have some catching up to do. Part of the Bar Smarts final test is making some of these drinks for the Bar Smart Folks!

Last weekend I completed 2 of the 4 sections and took and passed my quizzes. Everything I’m learning is really neat. Like the advantages of using a continuous still as opposed to a pot still. Or that Mezcal is much smokier than Tequila because the Agave (which is not the same type used in Tequila) is baked in pits in the ground often times for several weeks giving it its very smoky flavor. I’ve learned that Rhum (the French way of spelling it) is made with cane sugar while Rum is made from molasses and that Calvados has both apples and pear in it.

So far I’ve enjoyed all the learning I’ve done and am excited to finish the final two modules and practice making some drinks!

- Danielle

Thanks Danielle for sharing your experience with us and good luck on your exam later this month! Who else is taking the BarSmarts exam?

Find out more about BarSmarts here

April Meeting- Zig Zag

2010-04-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

This month our destination was the Zig Zag Cafe, known by cocktail geeks around the world and one of my favorite places. I'd go as far to say that it was this Seattle bar that put classic cocktails on the local map.

But before heading to Zig Zag Union Restaurant tweeted that they would be offering happy hour specials to LUPEC members so off I went with a few others to have a little pre drinking nosh. Chef and owner Ethan Stowell brought out plates of salami, carpaccio, frisee salads (one with a poached duck egg and one with a poached goose egg!), and house made pastas for us all to share. It was delicious! Thank you!!
(follow them on Twitter- @ESRseattle)

Ladies enjoying libations

Off to Zig Zag where Jakob and Kacy had reserved 5 big booths, Liz made sure everyone got their order in and Ben mixed and mixed and mixed for about 30 of us.

Ben taking a much needed break & chatting with us.

And if you happened to stop by the bar on your way out you saw Murray Stenson, arguably one of the world's best bartenders.

It was a great time and I can't say thank you enough to all the folks there!

What was your favorite cocktail that you had at Zig Zag? I loved my Champs Elysees

10 Q's for a LUPEC Lady- Wendy Miller

2010-04-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you who gave me suggestions for our 10 Q "series", I've compiled and edited the questions and will start randomly picking a member so that we can all get to know each other better.

For the first installment I'll turn the questions to myself.

1) what is your name, your LUPEC cocktail name & why did you pick that?

Wendy Miller, Last Word. I picked it because it's one of my favorite drinks and most people who know me know I am a talker and generally get in the last word! :)

2) what is your profession?

Normally I am a sales executive, that has ranged from technical/internet sales to corporate events and marketing but currently I'm unemployed (feel free to send me any job leads!)

3) what was your favorite cocktail before you new any better?

I've had so many- Cape Cod with Roses, Grape Kneehigh, Green Apple Martini! But the last one before my real cocktail education was a Grey Goose dirty martini (I know, I know!)

4) what's the worst cocktail ever and where did you drink it?

ugh! Czech absinthe rinsed in a glass, lit on fire and the glass then turned upside down with a straw sticking out of it that you sucked the absinthe smoke out of, then they turned it into some kind of crazy blue drink. In St. Petersburg Russia. I don't want to think about it anymore!

5) if you could ban 1 drink what would it be?

Chocolate martinis. 1) either you are messing with good chocolate or your using crap liquor 2) it's not a freakin martini just cuz it's in that glass 3) it's disgusting!

6) If you could have a drink with anyone, living/dead, who would it be and why?

These questions are always tough for me but I'd probably pick Ernest Hemingway because he really loved his cocktails, loved to travel and seemed to live a very interesting life!

7) what are your favorite non cocktail activities/hobbies/interests?

travel, travel, travel- my husband Dayne and I fly away as often as possible! We write about it on our blog- Luggage Tag. I also collect wine, am active with WA Wine Council, love to cook and have dinner parties. I love entertaining!!

8) how did you first hear about LUPEC?

While at Tales of the Cocktail last year I met the gals from LUPEC Boston and thought it was a great idea. Anu Apte, Stevi Deter and I met after that to discuss putting together a Seattle chapter. viola!

9) what is your go to drink or spirit?

Nothing fits any occasion like a well made martini; gin, vermouth, orange bitters with a twist

10) what is your favorite cocktail bar and/or bartender right now?

We have so many great cocktail bars in Seattle it's hard to pick just one but I have had really great cocktails upstairs at Tavern Law and I love the atmosphere! As far as bartenders go I have followed Jamie Boudreau from bar to bar and am happy he's at KneeHigh Stocking now!

See you all soon, stay tuned for our next member quiz down!

10 Q's for a LUPEC lady

2010-04-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

Hello ladies! I need your help. I'd like to start "featuring" a person each month or there abouts so that we can all get to know each other better. This is how it is for me: I look forward to our 1st Wednesday outings each month and can't wait to meet new peeps. Then I arrive, chat with the bar and get a drink. Introduce myself to a few ladies who I don't think I've met before. Get another drink. Start talking with peeps I know. Bamn! 9pm and it's winding down. Damn!

One of the reasons I wanted to start our Seattle chapter was to meet new and interesting people who have or are acquiring an interest in cocktails. To further that I'd like to have 10 set questions and interview a person each month or so. Help me put together a list of questions- what do you want to know about your fellow LUPEC members? I've got a few in mind but want your input! Jot a few down in the comments section please!

cheers!

LUPEC Member Denise Sakaki

2010-03-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

LUPEC Seattle member Denise Sakaki has a delicious blog entitled Wasabi Prime where she writes about food and drink. My apologies for the blurry photo but hey, there were some cocktails you know? I'm always lucky to remember to take any photos! :)

Among other things Denise (pictured here at Olivers Twist) has been writing about our LUPEC meetings.

Check out her posts about our December meeting at SPUR, February meeting at Olivers Twist (where we texted to help raise money for Haiti Relief), and most recently our March event at Rob Roy.

I love Denise's blog and think you will too, even when she's not talking about our cocktail adventures!

New Blog home

2010-03-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

ok I know that as good as we have been about getting together each month the blog has been lame. sorry about that! this is the new address and I'm going to try to add something of interest from time to time. if you would like to write something for the blog, please do!! you can email me your content and I'll post it.