The Montane Cocktail - Veuve Ambal & Hella Bitters Cocktail Competition

I was invited to participate in the Veuve Ambal & Hella Bitters Cocktail Competition - a blogger competition between fellow booze-obsessed writers.  Naturally I accepted, as I am a woman interested in the progression of all things cocktail, and it sounded like a great excuse to play around with the classic Champagne Cocktail.

The rules are simple, to use both the Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blanc and Hella Bitters in a new and creative cocktail!

I've been a fan of Hella Bitters for years now, and have even had the opportunity to meet the handsome lads who run the Hella Empire.  Veuve Ambal, however, is new to me.  I notoriously love anything with bubbles in it, and have a deep seeded love affair with white Burgundy wine, a cousin of this sparkling wine.  Made in Burgundy France, Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blanc is made of only white grapes, and has many of the same flavor characteristics as a classic white burgundy.  It has notes of ripe pear, apricot, and floral notes of jasmine and hibiscus, with an undertone of chalk or slate.

Note:  Sparkling wines such as Veuve Ambal are traditionally made in similar methods to Champagne, although only sparkling wines made in Champagne, France may don the name Champagne.  Many sparkling wines made outside of the region are equally, if not more delicious, and can often be purchased at a fraction of the price of their name brand cousins.  

I wanted to make a play on a Champagne Cocktail that balances the sweetness of the champagne with a touch of savory bitterness.  One of my favorite products as of late is Pine Syrup made by the duo from Dram Apothecary.  It's made from hand-foraged Colorado Pine, Organic Sugar, Herbs, and Spices, and is made in Silver Plume, Colorado, an old mountainous mining town.  The pine pairs nicely with the sweet, summery flavors of pear and apricot, and gives it a wild savory note.  A bar spoon of Punt E Mes gives the cocktail a bit more robust flavor, enhanced by the flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg  in the Aromatic Hella Bitters.

Finally, to brighten the flavors of the cocktail, I shake the Punt E Mes, Pine Syrup, bitters with ice and a fresh lemon peel to impart the citrus oils into the spirits.  This technique adds a subtle brightness that enhances all of the other flavors without making the cocktail too sour.    

Finally, top with bubbles, wipe a lemon peel around the rim of your glass, and you're ready to serve!

Lemon Peel in the Tin

Add Bitters, Pine, & Punt E Mes

Shake!

Pour!

Add Bubbles

Wipe with Lemon Peel

Enjoy!

The Montane Cocktail
Created by Gastronomista

1/2 oz Dram Pine Syrup 
Barspoon Punt E Mes
5 dashes Aromatic Hella Bitters
3 oz Brut Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blanc (or to the top of your glass)
2 Lemon Peels, One to Shake, One to Garnish 

Instructions

Shake Punt E Mes, Pine Syrup, bitters, and lemon peel with ice.  Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and top with Veuve Ambal.  Wipe rim of glass with second Lemon Peel, squeeze peel over cocktail releasing the oils, and float on top of the cocktail.

Enjoy!

Owney's Rum - Made in Brooklyn!

Last night we did a tour of The Noble Experiment distillery in Bushwick, Brooklyn.  TNE NYC is run by the lovely and talented (and frankly, tough as hell) Bridget Firtle, a native New Yorker who started out in finance, and then decided to pursue her dream of distilling a New York rum.  A noble venture, indeed.

The distillery was founded in 2011, and has since put out their first rum Owney's, a handcrafted dry white rum.  Owney's is born from all natural non-GMO molasses and distilled in small batches.  Sweet and smooth, this rum is delightful to sip on straight, and mixes extremely well in cocktails. We liken it to a corn whiskey, not overly sweet, a spicy bite, and the round fruit notes of banana.

The brand is named after Owen Madden, a Hell's Kitchen gangster and bootlegger from the turn of the century.   He was a leader of the West Side's Gopher Gang and a notorious rum runner in the New York area.

America has a deep history with rum - it was the first spirit produced in America.  Rum was originally imported by the British from the Caribbean, and served as a form of currency as well as a beverage, and was an integral part of the slave trade.  Molasses rum was first distilled in Staten Island in 1664, and was followed by many other rum distilleries all over New England.  Unfortunately, the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Molasses Act of 1733 slowed down the production of rum in New England, and is also considered to be a catalyst of the American Revolution.

As seen in her promotional video, Ms Firtle is a total badass.  Female distillers are rare at best, and we commend this lady for pursuing her spirited dreams of distilling New York rums and whiskeys.  That, and she looks damn awesome driving that forklift.  But it's not just for show, ladies and gents, she's the one making her spirits from tasting, testing, transporting, bottling, and labeling.  Apparently, this woman does not like sleep. 

Owney's from The Noble Experiment NYC on Vimeo.

Ms Firtle is also developing a line of whiskeys, to be aged in new charred white oak, and sure to be tasty.  We cannot wait.

Buy Owney's here.  $34.99 (and it's worth it).