Category: Libations

Racing to Find the Perfect Mint Julep

The mint julep holds a special place in my heart. Prior to attending the Kentucky Derby in May 2013, Mr. Five O’Clock and I were die-hard wine fans and wouldn’t give cocktails much of a second thought. However, once we tasted this delicious, boozy concoction on Derby Day, we realized that—gasp!—bourbon could be just as interesting as a glass of Bordeaux or Barolo.

The mint julep became the official drink of the Kentucky Derby in 1938, but it turns out that they’ve been around much longer than that. According to David Wondrich’s Imbibe!, a “julep” was simply medicine at first (as early as 900 AD or even before that). How it turned into an alcoholic beverage is still up for debate, but Wondrich tells us that the original spirit of choice for a julep was actually French cognac (not whiskey!).

Given the variety of julep recipes out there, we thought we’d conduct a mint julep taste test of our own. Which version of this drink would wind up reigning supreme?

In true detective fashion, I conducted a very sophisticated focus group during yesterday’s 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby (read: invited over Miss Scarlet and Bourbon Broad for drinks). While the Kentucky Derby may be the quickest two minutes in sports, our debate about mint juleps proved to be the longest twenty-two minutes in the history of our taste tests. Find out which julep we’d drink over and over again.

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The Best Places to Drink in Montreal Right Now

Montreal, I’ve got to hand it to you: I had no idea that the caliber of your watering holes (not to mention your food) was so high. Here we are, sitting in New York City after a fantastic whirlwind getaway to Québec’s metropolis last weekend, and all Mr. Five O’Clock and I can think about is how soon we can return to your charming city to revisit our favorite spots and scout out new ones.

While there’s no doubt that our current residence will always have a new, hot “bar of the moment” to try, there’s something really exciting about a city that hasn’t been overrun with dozens of speakeasies and can hold its own in the world of excellent microbrews. If you find yourself up in the Great White North with a hankering for some booze, here are the top spots to grab a drink in Montreal right now.

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What the @#$! is Mamajuana, Anyway?

You’ve probably heard of gin, rum, vodka, bourbon, and tequila. If you’re a little more advanced in the way of cocktails and other spirits, you probably know your way around mezcal, vermouth, and absinthe, too. But there’s a host of other libations with strange-sounding names, like cynar and campari. What the @#$! is this stuff, anyway?

Today, we’re going to demystify Mamajuana.

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“Revisiting”: The Only Wine Term You Need to Know

Giorgio set the glass of garnet-colored wine in front of me confidently, as if he already knew the ultimate decision I’d make.

“Thanks, but I’m not sure if I should try it,” I politely declined, still in disbelief at the fact that it was acceptable to legally drink wine under the age of 21. It was 2006, and the 20-year-old me, studying abroad in Rome, still clung to the rules and regulations she had grown up with in America.

My roommate and I had recently discovered a neighborhood Italian restaurant on one of the side streets near the Pantheon. Lured by the aromas of sizzling meat sauces and freshly-cooked tagliatelle, we were quickly seated in an outdoor table near the back. Upon learning that I had never had wine before, our server, Giorgio, insisted that I try some Montepulciano d’Abruzzo to “make my life complete.”

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Taking Flight: Will the Real Aviation Cocktail Please Stand Up?

It all started with a simple question.

“What would you like to drink next?” Mathias, an excellent mixologist at Charlie was a Sinner in Philadelphia, asked Red Rose and me. We had just finished a magical wheatgrass concoction recommended to us by Derek, one of the spot’s regulars, and were hoping to stay on the gin train.

“Something with gin, maybe lemon,” we said decidedly. “Ah, an Aviation,” Mathias replied immediately, and whipped up two Aviation cocktails, placing them in front of us.

As I studied the drink before me, however, I was confused. “Are you sure this is an Aviation?” I asked demurely. “I mean, isn’t it supposed to be blue in color?”

“This is definitely an Aviation,” he nodded vigorously. “Gin, lemon, maraschino. That’s it.” (Note to past self: it’s never a good idea to question your bartender, who generally knows a hell of a lot more about this stuff than you do.)

Still, throughout the next week, our exchange got me thinking about this high-flying libation: How is the Aviation cocktail supposed to be made, and which version tastes the best? Determined to find out, I gathered my books and my buddies—Mr. Five O’Clock, Rachel, Miss Scarlet, and Bourbon Broad—to get to the bottom of this puzzle. What we found on our quest, dear reader, might surprise you.

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Booze Buzz: U.P. (Unlimited Possibilities) in Manhattan

In the “Booze Buzz” series, we take you to the latest and greatest watering holes throughout the country. Today, we head to U.P. (Unlimited Possibilities), part of Dominique Ansel Kitchen, in Manhattan.

I’m not a morning person. Anyone who knows me knows that I sleep in on weekends and hit the snooze button at least once on weekdays (not a healthy habit, I know). So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’ve never been able to drag myself out of bed for one of Dominique Ansel’s famous cronuts at 7:00 AM. I resigned myself to the idea that I’d never try one of those piping hot baked goods, a mystical cross between a croissant and a doughnut; I figured that if I couldn’t try the Holy Grail of desserts, then why bother visiting the bakery or tasting his other creations at all?

Fortunately, this misguided notion was recently laid to rest. Upon discovering U.P. (Unlimited Possibilities), an after-hours desserts tasting menu at Dominique Ansel Kitchen, and learning that these tasty morsels could be served alongside cocktail pairings designed in consultation with Jim Meehan of PDT (Please Don’t Tell) fame, Mr. Five O’Clock and I immediately booked a reservation for March 11.

Warning: spoilers ahead; if you don’t want to know what happens before you go, stop reading now!

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What the @#$! is Chartreuse, Anyway?

You’ve probably heard of gin, rum, vodka, bourbon, and tequila. If you’re a little more advanced in the way of cocktails and other spirits, you probably know your way around mezcal, vermouth, and absinthe, too. But there’s a host of other libations with strange-sounding names, like cynar and campari. What the @#$! is this stuff, anyway?

Today, we’re going to demystify Chartreuse.

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Booze Buzz: Le Boudoir in Brooklyn

In the “Booze Buzz” series, we take you to the latest and greatest watering holes throughout the country. Today, we head to Le Boudoir in Brooklyn.

I certainly have my share of guilty pleasures—some that I can readily admit (crack pie from Momofuku Milk Bar) and others that are probably best kept to myself (Monday night viewings of “The Bachelor”).

These, however, pale in comparison to my laughable weakness for themed dining and drinking experiences (just ask my parents, who took me to Rainforest Cafe countless times as a kid, or my co-workers, who mercifully agreed to a late-night dinner at the Ninja restaurant in Tribeca two months ago). So when an e-mail popped up in my inbox in early February about a Marie Antoinette-themed speakeasy that had just opened in Brooklyn Heights, I needed only .1755 seconds before deciding that I had to check it out.

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