Entertaining Guide - Summer Lawn Party

Wimbledon is in full swing, and it's got me wanting to get out my tennis whites, sip on G&Ts, and throw an epic lawn party.  So break out the croquet set, dust off those tennis rackets, and get out in the sunshine!

1.  Proper Sporty Attire is critical for a lawn party, just are Sporty Accessories.  I love Sweaty Bands to keep a lady looking classy on the court.  $10

2.  Ok, maybe vintage racquets not the most practical when playing tennis, but they look quite photogenic mounted in the salon.  Search for yours here.

3.  Glam up those tennis whites with some fabulous sunnies.  I'm obsessed with Karen Walker citron Northern Lights.  $250

4.  There's nothing I love more than a man who smells like a man.  Lacoste Noir L.12.12, the new sent from the eponymous label is inspired by tennis legend Rene Lacoste, a man of style, finesse, and many trophies.  Noir is extra tasty with notes of watermelon, basil, verbena, lavender, dark chocolate, cashmeran, coumarin, and patchouli. It's so sexy, I've been known to sneak a spritz for myself!  AND a slick black bottle with the iconic alligator affixed to the front for match point!  $65

Rene Lacoste

5.  Break out the Croquet Set - one of the best lawn games around.  $89

6.  Gin and Tonics are a classic summer drink - light, yet thirst quenching.  Get your dose of quinine with a Bombay Sapphire East Gin and Tonic with Fever Tree tonic.  I like a variation to the classic cocktail, using Bombay Sapphire East, a gin made with lemongrass, black peppercorn, lemon peel, coriander, almonds, and licorice, along with other roots and barks from around the world.  The bright citrus flavors of the lemongrass and the hot black peppercorn balance so nicely with the juniper.

A Proper Gin and Tonic

2 oz Bombay Sapphire East
4 oz Fever Tree
Fresh Lime Wedges

Build over 1" ice cubes in a high ball glass, stir, squeeze one lime wedge into cocktail, and garnish with the other  lime wedge.

7.  Tennis has always been one of the most fashionable sports - a good reason to get out on the court, if you ask me.  Love a good striped number for the court, especially this Pique Pleated Tennis Dress by Lacoste - $150.

8.  Keep hydrated with infused refreshers - ice water with fresh fruit like strawberries and mint served up in pretty pitchers.

9.   Set up colorful blankets for a bright backdrop and a comfortable spot for people to relax in the grass.  I love these unique hand dyed Bolivian Blankets from El Cosmico that are vibrant and really thick.  $350

10.  Keep those bottles of tonic poppin' with a handsome Brass Bottle Opener by Masanori Oji.  $55

11.  Serve Floral Sweets like these Petit Fours from Dean & Deluca - Lemon Cake layered with tart lemon ganache and Cassis with black currant ganache, covered in white chocolate and garnished with candied organic pansies. $65

12.  Stay in the shade with pretty parasols.  A critical savior for those of us with fair skin.  $11

13.  Make Tea Sandies for snacks - cucumber sandwiches, smoked salmon with fresh dill and cream cheese, and avocado toast with lots of flaky salt and fresh lemon juice.

14.  Serve Belle de Brillet Champagne Cocktails for the ladies - a wonderfully refreshing cocktail of bubbles and juicy pear cognac.  Garnish with thin slices of fresh pears for extra flare.

Belle de Brillet Champagne Cocktail  

1/2 oz Belle de Brillet
Splash of Grand Marnier or Napoleon Mandarine
Champagne
Pear Slice for Garnish

Build in a Champagne Flute, top with Champagne, and enjoy!


See you on the lawn in your whites!
xx emma

Pedro's Memphis BBQ Bitter Pisco Sour

I can take no credit for this one.  Instead, I give it all to my father, a man of many talents, especially when it comes to cocktails.  Which, come to think of it, is probably where I developed such a lively passion for libation. We can all thank family happy hour.

Armed with a new bottle of Memphis BBQ Bitters that I had given him, he used it in a pinch to substitute for the traditional Angostura used to garnish a Pisco Sour.  Although it seems like it wouldn't work, the BBQ bitters were a stroke of genius.  They compliment the bright and zesty cocktail with a surprise of spicy heat, smoke, and that BBQ sweetness we all love so much.  It's almost as though the cocktail had spent the entire day over the smoker with the ribs and then was miraculously served chilled to perfection. 

I love Pisco Portón, made in Peru by the ever charming Johnny Schuler, another man of many talents.  Restauranteur, Master Distiller, Porton Pisco CEO, Television Station Owner and Personality, International Man of Mystery (you get the idea).  He makes his Pisco in the Andes mountains using his method of "gravity distilling" - a process that uses no electricity, and instead utilizes height and gravity to help the spirit through the distillation process.  The end product is a mosto verde pisco that is smooth, dry, yet full of flavors of tropical fruits, hay, and spice.  I think Portón is really lovely sipped neat, perhaps a testament to the fact that I'm ready to move to Peru and retire. 

Just as summer starts to heat up, shake up a few Pedro's Memphis BBQ Pisco Sours adding extra heat to those glorious summer evenings. 

Pedro's Memphis BBQ Bitter Pisco Sour

1 1/2 oz Portón Pisco
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Egg White
5-10 drops Memphis BBQ Bitters

Dry Shake: Build your ingredients in a Boston Shaker (which will help prevent messy shaker explosions, as I have learned) and shake for 45 seconds until the egg is emulsified.  Shake with Ice: Add a few ice cubes and shake again for about 30 seconds.  Serve:  Strain into a cocktail coupe and either spray on bitters using an atomizer, or drop the bitters on the surface of the drink.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the awesome cocktail, Dad!

xx emma

Last Minute Fathers Day - Gift Guide

Father's Day is right around the corner, and I'm still to pick up a gift for my dad.  Sorry pops.  But I've got a few ideas, most of which are delicious bottles of booze.  I hope you don't mind.

1.  Atholl Brose is similar to Drambuie - a Scotch based liqueur blended with honey and herbs, and is based on a traditional Scottish recipe.  It won the title of "world's best whiskey liqueur" in 2012, and makes a damn fine drink.  Try the Prince Edward Martini: 3 oz vodka, 1 oz Atholl Brose, stir with ice, strain, and garnish with a lemon peel.  Divine.  $56

2.  Most guys haven't figured out how awesome aprons are.  They prevent all kinds of mess from getting all over your clothes when grilling dinner or shaking up pisco sours.  I love the Moore & Giles Leather Aprons they wear at Dead Rabbit here in NYC, and now you can give dad one too.  $375

3.  If there's one thing I know to be true, men love knives.  Especially when they're well made, sharp as hell, and damn good looking.  Dad is sure to love this Tosa Kajiyamura Bunka Knife with a high carbon steel blade and an oak handle that is a combo of a Japanese cleaver and a chef's knife.  $98

4.  If dad likes smoke, give him a bottle of gorgeous peated scotch - Compass Box's Peat Monster is one of my favorites.  It's a blend of Islay scotch and Speyside whisky, giving it a nice balance of intense bonfire like smoke and sweet honey.  $58

5.  So dad's into more refined whisky, you say.  Treat him to a bottle of Yamazaki 18 - a subtle yet flavorful whiskey with flavors of dark chocolate, jammy fruit, coffee, green notes, creamy mouth feel, and bright citrus to balance it all out.  A proper gentleman's whisky if there ever was one.  $189

6.  If dad's into making cocktails, treat him to a leather bound, limited edition copy of the PDT Cocktail Book by Jim Meehan - it's one of the most influential cocktail books since the Savoy Cocktail book, and inspires most creative shaking and stirring.  $65

7.  One of the most useful things any man can carry with him is a knife - and a handsome Japanese Higo Pocket Knife with a laminated white steel blade with tsuchime finish that says Courage?  Brilliant.  $65

8.  A home is not a home without a proper bottle opener.  Give dad a handsome artifact - hand machined solid brass J. L. Lawsom & Co. Brass XIV.  $72

9.  Custom Initial Steak Irons from William Sonoma let dad sear his initials into those delicious steaks, grilled to perfection.  $40

10.  Meat bars?  Yes please.  Epic Bison Bars are made with grass fed organic buffalo, uncured bacon, and cranberries.  Perfect for the man on the go.  $34 for 12

11.  There's something about a really nice glass that makes whiskey taste just a little bit better.  Pour a proper dram in these Normann Copenhagen glasses by designer Rikke Hagen.  $50

12.  Here at Gastronomista HQ we are on a bit of a Pisco kick as of late - Pisco Sours, Pisco on ice, Pisco margaritas.  I'm loving Pisco Porton - it's a very high quality liquor that is nice to sip straight or shake up into a cocktail.  $37

13.  Auchentoshan Valinch 2012 Release is aged exclusively in first fill bourbon barrels making it a citrus-y, sweet, and creamy cask-strength scotch.  $55

14.  Every year I ask my dad what he wants for Fathers Day, and without fail, he says "A Bateau".  Unfortunately, I cannot afford said bateau, and likely never will.  But thanks to Harbor Line Cruises, I can take good old dad out for a day of boating.  They've got a great line up of tours: Architecture Tours of Manhattan, Cocktail Tours, Wine and Cheese Pairings, and day sails up the mighty Hudson River Valley.  You're welcome, dad.   $42 - $178

Pear Gin Fizzies

I've been on quite a Gin Fizz bender here lately after making Violet Fizzies in the spring.  I've been experimenting with all kinds of different ingredients: Caledonia Elderberry Cordial, Greenhook Gin Beach Plum Gin, but my favorite thus far has been a Pear Gin Fizzie made with Belle de Brillet Poire Williams Au Cognac.

Belle de Brillet is a gorgeous liqueur that is made from young cognac aged for one year, and then blended with fresh pear juice.  About 25 pounds of pears go into a single bottle, which comes across as a full, juicy flavor that tastes like the most perfectly ripe, and booziest pear you've ever eaten.  It smells delightful, fresh and sweet, and tastes of fresh pears, ginger, and the honey sweetness of the cognac.  The pear flavor is so visceral, I swear I could feel the grain of the fruit itself.

It's pretty fair to say that I'm obsessed with Belle de Brillet - I love the pear shaped bottle, and it tastes wonderful served with ice and a lemon peel.  It is however, very sweet, which made me think it would be lovely in a gin fizz.  And it is.  The flavors of the pear are just as saturated, but the egg adds a level of creaminess that makes the cocktail rich and decadent.  I used Caledonia Spirits Barr Hill Gin, a lovely  gin from Vermont made with raw honey that is added right before bottling.  The honey notes of the gin add complexity to the cocktail - giving it an extra layer of floral detail that compliments the honey flavors found in cognac.
 

Without further ado, The Belle de Pear Gin Fizzie:

Pear Gin Fizzie
Created by Gastronomista

1 Egg White
1-1/2 oz Caledonia Spirits Barr Hill Gin
1/4 oz Belle de Brillet
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Top with Thomas Henry Soda Water
Lemon Peel Coin for Garnish


Add all ingredients (except for the soda water) to a cocktail shaker and vigorously shake (do not add ice yet, this is your dry shake).  Add a few cracked ice cubes and shake a second time.  Strain into a cocktail glass, and top with seltzer.  Squeeze an lemon peel coin over the foam, gently rim the glass with orange citrus oil, and float the coin on top.

xx emma

Gastronomista Featured in Company Magazine!

Exciting News!  Yours truly is featured in this week's Company Weekly Edit for Company Magazine based in the UK! I was asked to contribute some of my favorite tipples, favorite drinking spots, and style tips for busy ladies on the go.

 The piece is part of Company Magazine's weekly app that has style tips, celebrity instagrams, street style, and beauty tips and products!  It's a really fun concept - a little magazine on your phone!!!  

iphone users can download the app for 99 cents here. 

Not an iphone user?  Fret not, we've got screen shots below:

Many thanks to Company Magazine!!!

xx emma

Booze Dark Thirty - A Glenlivet Alpha Tasting

This week I was invited for an exclusive tasting of Glenlivet Alpha - a new release from the Glenlivet portfolio with only 3,500 bottles available worldwide.  Alpha is a unique expression - it does not have any information about how long the whiskey has been aged, and is bottled in a black mysterious bottle with handsome and minimal branding.  

Glenlivet Alpha

This evening's tasting was to be served in complete darkness - just like the bottle itself.  The theory being that once one of our senses was deprived it would heighten our senses of smell and taste, thereby making the experience of the whiskey that much greater.

We were assigned a waiter for the evening, one waiter for every two guests.  Our waiter led us down stairs, and behind the black out curtains, into complete darkness.  He was lucky enough to have on a pair of infrared goggles, so he led us  to our seats and was in charge of getting this precious whiskey into our mouths and not on the floor.

The Tasting Room - Gorgeous Ambiance

The tasting was led by Glenlivet ambassador Craid Bridger who led us first through a nosing and then a tasting.  We were first to smell the whiskey (what torture, we say) - sweet and fruity on the nose, with hints of toffee and baking spices.  We then were given three different flavors to nose that are found in the flavor profile of the Alpha: Cinnamon, Freshly Baked Oatmeal Cookies, and Vanilla Extract.  We then nosed our precious Alpha again, now able to smell these flavor notes much more distinctly.

Nosing - Photo Courtesy of Glenlivet

Alpha is 50% ABV, or 100-proof, and not for the faint of heart.  Alpha is aged in first fill Scotch conditioned casks, which is rare in the scotch world, since scotch typically is aged in bourbon or sherry conditioned barrels.  It is the rarity of these first fill scotch casks that makes Alpha so exclusive, and it gives the Alpha its bright color, and vibrant fruity flavors.

Be-Goggled Waiters - Photo Courtesy of Glenlivet

Onto the tasting - we were allowed one small sip of our Alpha ambrosia, and then told to put it down.  I refused to put it down so quickly, and was scolded by my waiter.  But I am a whiskey lover, I proclaimed.  It fell upon deaf ears.  We then were given three nibbles for their flavor notes: toasted almonds, fresh pineapple, and a tiny banana cream pie.

We then tasted the Alpha again, now able to taste the bright fruit flavors, the rich flavors of creamy crème brûlée, and the baritone of the marzipan almond.  I also tasted flavors of pear predominantly, date, plum, and a hint of salty butter.  It's a wildly complex whiskey - every smell and every taste reveals different flavors in a wonka-like magical way.

We were then led back upstairs, our eyes adjusting to the light.  Stumbling around a bit, we were led to a back room where more Alpha was being served (thank goodness!) and we were able to enjoy a few drams.

 
With only 3,500 bottles produced, it was a privilege to be able to be one of the first to taste it here in the US.  This bottle is bound to be a collectors item - a unique and covetable expression that is well worth the investment.

xxemma

A Girl's Got Needs: Flask Bangles

I don't need much in life.  But I need one of these bad boys.

Yep, I need a flask bangle.  To wear with everything. 

Get yours here:  Cynthia Rowley

xxemma

Domaine de Canton & Le Bernardin - A Pairing of Cocktails & Cuisine

This year's events for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic were absolutely fantastic.  All of them were well curated, had an interesting educational component, and most importantly, had delicious craft cocktails.  One of the gems of the week was the Domaine de Canton dinner at the renowned restaurant, Le Bernardin with chef Eric Ripert and cocktail legend, Simon Ford.  I was absolutely thrilled to be invited to the six-course dinner, a coveted seat at what was to be a gorgeous meal designed to showcase Domaine de Canton versatility in both drink and dish.

Photo Courtesy of Domaine de Canton

So what is Domaine de Canton, you ask?  It is a cognac based ginger liqueur that is based on a centuries old recipe from old Canton for the rulers of the Qing dynasty.  Ginger-infused cognac was first made in 19th century colonial Indochina by a Frenchman who owned ginger estate called Domaine de Canton.  He experimented with the infusions, which became extremely popular with the social elite, and soon was a ubiquitous libation at the grand and exotic fetes of the colonists.

Today, spirit is made in Jarnac, near the Cognac region in France, and is made by 3rd generation liqueur maker John Cooper and master distiller Jean Francois Bardou.  It is a small-batch, ginger liqueur that is made from baby Vietnamese ginger, a selection of herbs and spices, VSOP Cognac, and XO Grand Champagne Cognac.  The ginger infused cognac is double distilled, and then aged in French oak barrels before being blended with Tahitian vanilla beans, orange blossom honey from Provence, and Tunisian ginseng, and finally cold filtered before bottling.  The product is totally natural, there are no preservatives or coloring in the product, and all of the ginger is cut and peeled by hand.  Canton has been in my liquor cabinet for years now, a longstanding favorite, especially in Dark 'n' Stormies.

The evening started out with a gorgeous Bonsoir Punch with Canton, Ford's gin, strawberry puree, ginger puree, lemon verbena tea, and sparkling water served in large wine goblets with ice and slices of lemon and orange.

Bonsoir Punch - Photo Courtesy of Domaine de Canton

The first dish was Fluke served with Micro Water Cress, Baby Carrots, and Domaine de Canton Vinaigrette, paired with a Lemon, Canton Champagne Cocktail.  The fluke was light, almost airy, and the vinaigrette, bright with flavors of fruit and spice.  I knew that the bespoke menu was to be designed by chef Ripert, but did not expect for him to introduce each dish with a personal story about his travels in Vietnam where the Canton ginger is grown, and the reasoning behind his selection of particular ingredients like Chayote Squash or Bhutanese Red Rice.  Chef Ripert is not only eloquent, but extremely charming.  All of the ladies swooned when chef Ripert came into the private dining room, listening eagerly as he described the different flavor combinations and ingredients.

Fluke served with Micro Water Cress, Baby Carrots, and Domaine de Canton Vinaigrette

The second dish, Sauteed Langoustine, Chayote Squash, Sea Beans, and Domaine de Canton Sambal, paired with a Ginger Sherry Cobbler.  This dish was one of my favorite dishes of the evening; the Langoustine was sweet like it's North American brother the Lobster, perfectly balanced with the spicy sweet from the ginger, the baritone of the Chayote, and the extra hot kick in the sauce from the chili paste.

Sauteed Langoustine, Chayote Squash, Sea Beans, and Domaine de Canton Sambal

Then, to a gorgeous piece of Wild Striped Bass, Served with Bhutanese Rice, Green Papaya Salad, and a Domaine de Canton Red Wine Sauce.  This was served with a stunning cocktail of Canton, Cana Brava Rum, Banyuls Vinegar Shrub, cooked Pineapple Juice, and topped with soda.  This cocktail was one of the favorites of the evening - guests swooned over this tipple (and many ordered a second).  The Bass was equally as delightful, although I was most intrigued with the Bhutanese Rice - which had such a nice flavor of toasted walnuts.

Wild Striped Bass, Served with Bhutanese Rice, Green Papaya Salad, and a Domaine de Canton Red Wine Sauce

Chef Ripert in the Kitchen - Photo Courtesy of Domaine de Canton

Two, yes two desserts were served (what decadence, we say), the first of which was a lovely trio of Macerated Mango, Black Sesame Meringue, and Domaine de Canton Sorbet.  (Note to self: make Domaine de Canton sorbet).  Again, the chefs prepared a dish that balanced the spicy sweet flavors of the ginger liqueur against a nutty flavor of the black sesame.  The cocktail pairing for the fourth course was another of my favorites, made with Canton, Tequila Cabeza, Mango Puree, Agave, Fresh Lime Juice, and Grated Dark Chocolate slivers floating on top.  Not only were these cocktails incredibly lovely to look at, but they were savory, sweet, and spicy.  I loved the surprise of the chocolate notes in this cocktail, a nice, subtle bitter flavor to balance out all the big flavors of mango and ginger.

Mango, Tequila, and Canton Cocktails - Photo Courtesy of Domaine de Canton

Macerated Mango, Black Sesame Meringue, and Domaine de Canton Sorbet

The second dessert was a decadent play on our beloved Dark 'n' Stormy - a gorgeous plated masterpiece of Madagascan Chocolate Ganache, Domaine de Canton Foam, and Salted Chocolate Ice Cream paired with a cocktail of Canton, Armagnac Brandy, Mole bitters, and Demarrera Syrup.

Madagascan Chocolate Ganache, Domaine de Canton Foam, and Salted Chocolate Ice Cream

Canton, Armagnac Brandy, Mole bitters, and Demarrera Syrup

As guests chatted at the tables, they nibbled on gingery chocolates and sweets sent from the kitchen, and swirled their cocktails joyfully.  As we parted we were all given a lovely bound book filled with recipes, both for cocktails, and cuisine by chef Ripert.  A few I'm dying to try: Spicy Hamachi Ceviche with Domaine de Canton, Ginger, and Coconut, and the Oven Roasted Filet Mignon with Domaine de Canton Green Peppercorn Sauce.

Photo Courtesy of Domaine de Canton

Ginger is a remarkable herb, once a symbol of both wealth and power, known for healing, settling stomachs, being rich in vitamin C, and for being an aphrodisiac, it's no wonder that kings, queens, and other aristocrats adored their ginger liqueur.  We leave you with recipes from our favorite cocktails of the evening - and after a few of these tipples, we're sure you'll be feeling like a Royal as well.

. . . . .

Bonsoir Punch
2 Parts Domaine de Canton
2 Parts Fords Gin
1 part strawberry puree
3/4 part ginger puree
4 parts Lemon Verbena Tea,
2 parts sparkling water

Build ingredients into a punch bowl - Add a large slab of ice and garnish with lemon and orange wheels and fresh strawberries


Ginger and Cooked Pineapple Cocktail
1.5 oz Domaine de Canton
1 oz Cana Brava rum
1/4 oz Banyuals vinegar shrub
1.5 oz Cooked pineapple juice
Soda

Shake ingredients and strain into a wine goblet. Top with club soda and garnish with a lime twist


Chocolate Mango Cocktail
1.5 oz Domaine de Canton
1 oz Tequila Cabeza
1/2 oz Mango Puree
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Agave Syrup

Shake ingredients and strain into a cocktail coup. Garnish with dark chocolate 

. . . . .