Party Tricks Part 1 - BACARDÍ Pineapples!

Today kicks off a four part series I am doing with BACARDÍ to share some of my favorite party tricks that are guaranteed to make your next party memorable and keep your guests talking for years to come. Including BACARDÍ in your holiday festivities is a great way to bring summer vibes to the colder months in the fall and winter.

Perfect Party Recipes With Président Cheese

 

Last week I was invited to the Président Cheese pop-up store in New York City for a cooking class with the James Beard Award winning chef Gavin Kaysen to learn how to use Président Cheeses and Butter for holiday entertaining.  There was champagne, there was wine, and there was cheese. So basically, I was in heaven. 

O.M.G. I Need - Coupe Stack

 
Sometimes I come across amazing things, and they just *can't* wait for a gift guide to share, and this is one of those times.  To display the urgency and complete infatuation I have for these kinds of cocktailing finds, I've decided that Gastronomista needs a new series - O.M.G. I Need.

To kick off this series, please let me introduce you to your new favorite drinking accessory and party trick, The Coupe Stack.

Suntory Whisky Tasting at the Noguchi Museum

Not long ago we were invited to an exquisite tasting at the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City for a proper Suntory tasting and cocktail event celebrating the Whisky House's 90th anniversary with chef David Bouley and chef Isao Yamada.  The Noguchi Museum is a hidden gem in New York City, just a short distance from Manhattan, and a gorgeous retreat hidden behind brick walls, and filled with weighty biomorphic sculptures, a stone garden, and lush trees, and idyllic location for a Japanese whisky tasting.

It was designed as a garden museum by Isamu Noguchi to house a collection of his life's work - drawings, sculptures, furniture designs, and architectural models.  It opened in 1984 on a limited basis, and was fully opened to the public in 2004.  The collection is quite stunning, monumental works of sculpture that are paced brilliantly throughout the museum, almost in dialogue with the space that houses them.  The influence of Brancusi is quite evident in Noguchi's work (Noguchi studied with Brancusi in the late 1920s) - the stacking of different geometric shapes and materials, and the presentation of monument - or a collection of monuments in space, reminding me of Brancusi's Atelier at the Pompidou in Paris.

Photo Courtesy of Suntory/Jason Lewis

What a glorious setting to drink whisky!  Upon entering the museum we were greeted with a Hakushu Highball - a smoky and fresh cocktail.  We wandered our way through the main room of the museum, a lofty space that was still technically outdoors as the corners of the room peel back to allow for light, rain, and trees to reach the sunlight above.  We made our way to the tranquil garden space - filled with dark stones, massive dark carved granite sculptures, and a lush garden.  Tasting tables were set up lining the garden, illuminated in the dappled light.

Yamazaki 18, Hakushu 25, and Hibiki 21

First, for a little background.  Suntory is the first House of Whisky in Japan - founded in 1923 by Torii Shinjiro.  For those of your familiar with whisky, you probably already know that the Japanese love their whisky.  They love Scotch, they love Bourbon, and they've perfected it.  Building upon the centuries old Sake brewing traditions, Japanese whisky distillers use the same model to achieve a high quality product: pure water local to the distillery, high quality grains, and letting the spirit age in the distinctive Japanese climate. There are three brands under the Suntory umbrella: Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki.  Each are made in different regions of Japan, there are nuances to how each is produced, and thus each have very different flavor profiles.  

Mike Miyamoto Explains the Tasting

The evening's preview tasting was Yamazaki 18, Hakushu 25, and Hibiki 21, the last two of which are currently unavailable in the US (our hearts doth break).  We started with the Yamazaki 18; with notes of chocolate, jam fruits, spice, and was creamy on the mouth.  It has quite a long finish in the mouth, with lingering flavors of chocolate and spice.

The Hakushu 25 was more smoky with flavors of fresh green leaves.  It was spicy on the palate, a bit hot, following with notes of caramel, honey and sweet fruit.  It finished nicely, smoky, sweet, and yet dry on the mouth.  The Hakushu distillery is at a higher elevation than the other distilleries, so the winter season plays a larger role in how Hakushu ages in the barrel.

On to the Hibiki 21, which was my favorite of the evening - a light smoke on the nose, the sour fruit of citrus and pineapple, and on the palate it was smooth, creamy, almost floral.  This whisky is layered, sophisticated, and extremely smooth and refined.  I'm also a big fan of the Hibiki 12, which was also being served over brand ambassador Gardner Dunn's hand carved ice spheres (extremely impressive, sir) - which has soft flavors of pineapple, honey, and plum.  I hate to gender things, but this is a glorious ladies whisky - and I'm certainly serving it at my next ladies night.

Ice Cubes Resting Before Being Carved Into Spheres

The other thing I was dying to taste was the Yamazaki 25 aged in sherry casks.  From its deep plum hue I could tell we were in for something special - it's a single malt with very high tannins from aging in the sherry barrels, and it picks up a lot of bitterness as well.  It's still got a lot of fruit to it, raisin, jammy fruits, and flavors of dark bitter chocolate, and a bite at the back of the throat.

And an already amazing evening got even better: paired with these gorgeous whiskys chef David Bouley worked with chef Isao Yamada of Bouley and Brushstroke to create a variation on a Kaiseki-style food-pairing menu (a traditional multi-course menu served in Japan).  Chef Bouley spoke on the importance of seasonal food in Japanese cuisine, the role of the seasons in aging Japanese whisky, and how the menu we were about to enjoy was crafted to showcase each spirit.

The first pairing was the Green Apple Meringue Stacked with Smoked Salmon, Trout Roe, and White Truffle Honey - a rather large canape that once placed in one's mouth melted, combining the flavors of apple and smoked salmon, perfectly complimenting the smoky and fresh green flavors of Hakusu 12 Highball.  Heavenly.  The next dish was Pressed Sushi with Sansho Pepper and Bamboo Shoots served with Kinome Leaf.

Green Apple Meringue Stacked with Smoked Salmon, Trout Roe, and White Truffle Honey
Photo Courtesy of Suntory/Jason Lewis

Pressed Sushi with Sansho Pepper and Bamboo Shoots served with Kinome Leaf

The second pairing was Wild Mushrooms served with Seared Toro and Coconut and Garlic Foam, to pair with the woodiness of the Yamazaki 12.  Passed around the event were Yamazaki Mizuwari cocktails - which was basically a whisky refresher - Yamazaki served with water and lemon.  If a girl's gotta hydrate, I certainly prefer to do it this way.  The second dish of the pairing was Organic Wild Duckling served with Nevada dates, topped with Kumquat.

The final pairing was designed to compliment the smoothness of the Hibiki expression, a blend of over 30 different whiskys.  Hand carved ice balls were served with Hibiki 12, served with Wagyu Beef Jerky with wild watercress, sesame and kombu salad.  The second dish was Chawan-Mushi, a Japanese egg custard served with dashi broth.  Both were gorgeous dishes.  If forced to, I could live on a diet of just Hibiki and Wagyu Beef Jerky.  A sacrifice, I know.

Mastering the Ice Cube Roll

Rare Whisky Bar - My Kind of Bar
Photo Courtesy of Suntory/Jason Lewis

Party goers mingled through the courtyard, illuminated with candles, making their way to the rare whisky bar, and nibbled on passed chocolates.  Upon last call, we loaded back onto the buses that brought us to this hidden oasis, an island I would have been fine with staying on.  Just as long as there was a lifetime supply of  Hibiki 21 and Wagyu Jerky.

Photo Courtesy of Suntory/Jason Lewis

Want more? (I sure do.)

Watch Coolhunting's video about Gardner Dunn's bespoke carved Ice Balls (trust me, you'll want one)

Bottle Art Redux

Many years ago, I was obsessed with Absolut Ads.  I used to rip them out of the magazines of the school library, and file them away for safe keeping (sorry about that, dear librarians).  I was always amazed by the creativity and execution of the advertisements - and the concept of a blank slate being continuously modified. 

I have been wowed again by Absolut, and this time by their Absolut Unique concept where each bottle is uniquely painted in both a fun and stunningly gorgeous way. And just like when I was a teenager feverishly seeking out those classic ads, I want them all.

 

I'm not kidding.  

xxG

The Art of Dessert - An Excerpt from The Decadent Cookbook

One of our favorite finds as of late is a lovely book called The Decadent Cookbook by Medlar Lucan and Dorian Gray; less cookbook per se, and more of a collection of historical and amusing recipes from bygone eras.  Peppered in the mix are delightful short stories about feasting and decadent eating.  Today, we bring you an excerpt from The Decadent Cookbook, a short story on the art of dessert.  
 

 Memoirs of a Gnostic Dwarf

by David Madsen

..........

"Your Holiness - ah - Your Eminences, I meant to say, of course! - my dear and very special guests! I offer you now the climax, the apotheosis, the summit of this rather unusual evening." 

He clapped his hands, and four servants entered the hall, bearing on their shoulders a massive silver dish, in which was heaped what looked like half the cream in Rome; it was decorated more richly than Leo's tiara, with bright red cherries, brown pine kernels, thin green strips of angelica, all kinds of nuts and berries, and was wound about with a great length of dried leaves that had been dipped in gold. The entire assembled company (including myself, I readily admit) drew in its breath.

Strozzi went on, clearly drunk:

"Ah, but all is not what it seems to be, my very dear and special friends! No indeed. What you see before you is but the phantasm of the thing itself - the accidents which occlude and conceal the substance, as our good Tomaso d' Aquino would have said. You see, Your Eminences? I am not entirely unversed in the queen of sciences. Excuse me, I digress. Yes, invisible to your eyes, most cherished guests, is a delight more subtle, more - what shall I say, what term to employ? - more sensuous (for that must surely be the word!) than the simple sweetness which mere appearances
promise. And let me give you a small clue, a tiny hint, so to speak, of the secret which is shortly to be revealed: I provide no implements for this, my final and most exquisite offering; you must
use only your tongues." 

And with that, he collapsed back in his chair. 

The dish was placed somewhat awkwardly in the centre of the table; for some moments we all sat and stared at it. Then Cardinal Salviati stood up, leaned as far as he could across the table, stuck out a greenish, corrugated tongue, and dipped the tip of it into the great mound of cream. He closed his eyes for a moment, licked his lips, then opened his eyes again and nodded. 

"Very delicious," he pronounced. "Very delicious indeed. Flavoured with grappa and wild honey, if I am not mistaken."

 "Bravo, Eminence!" Lorenzo Strozzi cried drunkenly. 

Embolded by Salviati' s initiative, several of the gentlemen and two of the ladies did likewise; they giggled and nudged each other as they extended their tongues to taste their host's culinary 'apotheosis.' The technique, awkward though it was, was clearly catching on. It fell to Cardinal Ridolfi however, to finally expose the 'secret' of the extraordinary dolce; bending across the table and
wiggling his tongue, he pushed it into the creamy mass only to withdraw it again with a piercing and womanly shriek. 

"It moved!" he cried. "God's bones, I tell you it moved! Ah! -"

There was a general commotion as it was observed that the great mound of decorated slop was indeed moving; it shuddered and wiggled, as if suddenly endowed with an alien life of its own. Clotted lumps of cream fell away, nuts and cherries flew off and showered onto the table. It seemed to be growing. Ridolfi by now was having an attack of the vapours, wiping his lips furiously with the back of his hand as though he had ingested poison; indeed, had this been a banquet given by Pope Alexander Vl Borgia, whose memory still haunted curial slumbers, it might well have been.

Everybody was at the thing now, licking and scraping the cream off as fast as they could; people were stretched out across the table, plates were pushed aside or even fell to the floor; there was screeching and laughing and vulgar gestures. I do not think I have ever seen so many protruding tongues in my life, and it is a spectacle I care never to witness again; human beings look utterly ridiculous with their tongues sticking out. Leo should ban people doing it in all papal states. As a matter of fact, I had entirely forgotten about Leo: he was slumped in his chair, spellbound by the goings on. His eyes bulged and watered. 

There was a young woman buried under that grotesque hillock of cream; furthermore, it quickly became obvious, as first a thigh was exposed, then a foot, a wetly glistening pink nipple, ... she was a very naked young woman. The cacophony of screaming and guffawing rapidly swelled in volume as people began to applaud. And still the tongues were at work, probing and wiggling and scraping lasciviously, lingeringly, across the smooth, pale flesh. 

.......... 

Published with permission from Dedalus Books, and many thanks to them!

The Rosebery - Mobile Cocktail Bar

Continuing our theme on mobile party vehicles, we've spotted the ultimate method of transportation - a British Double Decker bus converted to a fabulous roaming cocktail bar - The Rosebery Routemaster.

This roaming party bus is a restored iconic London Routemaster, with a 1930's inspired cocktail bar downstairs, and a glamorous dining room upstairs.  The upstairs section even has a hydrolic roof that raises up and opens!  It's got some handsome banquettes detailed with racing green leather and oak - a handsome background to sip on an Aviation.

It's fortified with flat screen tvs, surround sound systems, game cupboards, and a canopy that opens to provide shade so your event spill out into the surrounding greens. 

We're absolutely smitten.  May we take it on a tour of the British Estates and gardens?  Don't mind if we do....

 
Want more?  We recommend this delightful video about The Rosebery's creation:

THE ROSEBERY from London Video Reviews on Vimeo.



via VF.

Woody Party Trailer!

Perhaps you've figured out by now, we're city girls.  We spend our days pounding the streets of the concrete jungle, hustling to get it done.  Although we come from lands of clean air and sunshine, we've grown to love the caverns of New York. 

But sometimes even we need to escape to the vastness of the great outdoors. 

Fortunately, we have an a woody party trailer to accommodate all of our urbane cocktail needs, supplied with one of our favorite tipples, Bulleit, as we are true lovers of their Rye.  Designed by Brad Ford, detailed with reclaimed bourbon casks and Moore & Giles leather.  This beauty also sports a flat screen, state of the art sound system, and a slide out Bar lined with copper. 

Camping is really tough round these parts.

After a hike through the rugged wilderness, what is better than a proper cocktail?  

Nothing.

Pour on, Barman.

Want one?  They cost only $150,000. 

Want more?  Watch the video of the Bulleit Woody Party Trailer. 

Manhattan Cocktail Classic 2012 - A Hedonistic Night Out At The New York Public Library

While traveling to Rome on more than one occasion, we would find ourselves often wondering, how did those Romans live in Ancient times?  We’ve heard the rumors: wildly decadent, epic festivities that carried on for days, rich with leisure, food, and of course, libation. 

photo by HLC

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, Ancient Rome has come alive again - in the form of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (minus the leisure, this is New York after all).  For five event-packed days the city celebrates one of New York’s favorite creations: The Cocktail.  The kick-off Gala is a Celebration of Hedonism - mountains of freshly shucked oysters, surrealist displays of charcuterie and tiki-skewers, themed photo booths, numerous live bands, troupes of 20’s dancers, and most importantly, 30,000 hand-crafted cocktails.  Hosted at the grand New York Public Library, the Gala is one of the most anticipated events of the year, this year selling out in only a few hours.

Surrealist FoodScapes

This year the MCC partnered with ClearHart Digital to provide Near Field Communication wrist bands (the future is now, people) so that the 3,500 party-goers could track all the cocktails they tasted.  Monday morning we get the report from TastingTable.com - when we all vaguely remember all that was lost in the boozy-swirl of MCC’s decadence and excess.  Thank goodness for technology.

The Glass Slipper & Blushes of The Hudson

Patrón Served in Carved Cucumbers

We started out on the ground floor - this year the main hall glowed with red lights - perhaps signaling the debauchery to follow.  We sipped on Patrón’s summery cocktail that was served in carved cucumbers, a bottled carbonated Campari Negroni created by Theo Lieberman of Milk & Honey and Lantern's Keep, Lillet’s Glass Slipper, and one of our favorites of the evening, the Isle of Indigo (not for the faint of tongue) a spicy coconut cocktail made with Arizona Piña Colada and Ty Ku Shochu. 

Isle of Indigo

Carbonated Negronis - photo by HLC

In every reading room, corner, stairwell there was a different event happening.  Buffalo Trace had a bluegrass band with the incredible Rick’s Picks’ pickled beets with ginger.  The Virgin Atlantic room featured DJ Herbert Holler of The Freedom Dance Party and scantily clad women wearing the Union Jack as capes.  The cocktail elite were all there - renowned bartenders, industry insiders, and cocktail connoisseurs, all toasted a beautiful spring evening with cocktail after cocktail.  Women wore glamorous evening gowns and feathery fascinators, and the gentlemen dressed dapper suits and bow ties.  New York, we love you when you dress up.

Handcrafted Ice

McGraw Rotunda

Upon arriving at the 3rd Floor we were wowed by the incredible ceiling of the McGraw Rotunda - not a bad place to party, we say.  The Moonlighters played and we sipped Limoncello.  In the grand reading room on the 3rd floor Maison Premiere served Absinthe Martinis and hand shucked oysters.  This labor of love was much appreciated as we slurped the briny delights topped with caviar.

Absinthe Martini and Fresh Oysters Topped with Caviar - Don't Mind If I Do...

The Moonlighters - Breathtaking

 
Off in the corner we had a spicy jalapeño cocktail with Ginger Beer and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.  This firecracker had some crying for mercy, but we savored every drop.  More photo booths - ladies and gents posed with the taxidermy bear, and one busty male model for Xanté Pear Cognac - photos automatically posted to the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Facebook page. 

I Tickled the Bear...He was Upset

Somehow this year felt less crowded than last - there were more rooms open, more places for people to stop and enjoy the live music and live entertainment.  Equally impressive were the light installations that danced across the walls of the library - old black and white films distorted across archways, short films of dancers doing the Charleston, and deco patterns lit the hallways guiding us to ever-more cocktails.

Follow the Light - More Booze That-A-Way...

The basement always seems to be a hidden away room - this year the “cocktail club” had a live band and bars flanking the dance floor.  A new comer surprised us this year, Sorel, a liquor made with Cloves, cassia, ginger, nutmeg, Pure Cane Sugar, and Moroccan hibiscus that is made in Red Hook Brooklyn.  Surprisingly tasty on the rocks.  Another cocktail we enjoyed was the Bénédictine Frisco - with Bénédictine Liqueur, Rye whiskey, lemon juice, and a liqueur soaked cherry.

Boozy Snowcones!

Another one of our favorites this year was the POM Islander snowcone.  We had more than one of those - after all, we need the antioxidants to undo some of the damage after a night of such excess.  By the end of the night, the glassware was running out, and so people flocked to the Patrón popsicles, which were a delicious, boozy treat at the end of a wonderful evening. 

Want more? 

Angostura has us covered: The Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala in 60 seconds:













Still want more?  Tickets are still available for events this weekend, purchase them here: The Manhattan Cocktail Classic.


xxG

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Aftermath

Ah yes, the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala. An annual blow-out of extremes, excesses, and lots and lots of cocktails. 40,000 cocktails to be exact. With 3,000 guests celebrating and drinking - that's 13.3 cocktails per guest!





We, unfortunately did not have 13.3 cocktails - but we can tell you (from today's headache and the junk-food cravings) that we had our fair share. The Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala is quite a production. Created by the talented Lesley Townsend, this was the second year of the annual event that was attended by over 130 liquor vendors - read - an amazing opportunity to taste those unknown brands in one place!



image via The Manhattan Cocktail Classic


The festivities took over the entire New York Public Library - cocktail and food stations in almost every room and corner of the building, live bands, caricatures, oysters bars, burlesque dancers dancing in large bird cages, and those grand staircases and devastatingly beautiful reading rooms filled with young New Yorkers dressed for the occasion. Festive fascinators, top hats, canes, masks, floral head pieces, ties with mini martini glasses, and so many prom dresses.

 image via The Manhattan Cocktail Classic

image via Metromix


It was really wonderful to spend an evening in the Library - the exquisite Beaux-Arts marble building by architects Carrère and Hastings was completed in 1911. Party-goers wrapped around the block to get into the event, and upon entry we knew it was bound to be an epic night. Each vendor had a station and a signature cocktail for the event. Renowned bartenders such as Tony Abou-Ganim and Brian van Flandern poured what seemed like an endless number of cocktails (we hope they are treating themselves to a vacation after this week).





We started the evening with one of Tony's legendary Campari Negronis, then onto the Tanqueray no. 10 Tom Nichol, Barritt's Ginger Beer Just Got Paid, Farmer's Gin Gimlet, a taste of Cayrum (so delicious), Hibiki Highball, and our two favorite cocktails of the evening: the Glenlivet Blood and Sand, and the Yamazaki cocktail.

There were some more mixed in there as well - ok maybe we got close to 13.3...

We were bummed that we were not able to hit every station and try one of each cocktail - but it's probably best we didn't.




image via @dianavilibert

Want more? Check out this nice little video by Angostura:

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Opening Night Gala from Angostura Aromatic Bitters on Vimeo.

Our next MCC event - the Campari Spritied Fête for the Senses Inspired by Padma Lakshmi at The Box!

Tickets for events are still available - check out the Manhattan Cocktail Classic website for more information.