By Nanete Wiser
DRINK TRENDS
Moderation is not a moment, it’s a lifestyle. Now an $11 billion global business, no- and low-alcohol has proven to extend beyond a moment as well and is projected to grow 7% in volume over the next four years, according to IWSR, a drink data company. At the same time, tequila and whiskey premium and boutique brands continue to soar. Mixologists are having a field day with uniquely crafted bitters and Italian spirited cocktails. For high end mixology, bartenders prefer Belvedere or Haku vodkas, Monkey 47 gin (especially for gimlets) or Nolet’s, and for rum, a newcomer – Haiti’s Clairin Sajous – made from fresh-pressed cane juice or aged El Dorado – perfect for daiquiris. For a sipping tequila, taste Clase Azul Reposado, Fortaleza. For bourbon drinks, taste test W.L. Weller, Elijah Craig 18 and E.H. Taylor. A friend highly recommends the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery’s Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Spend some time at Leuken’s, Pasadena Fine Wine & Liquors, or Norman’s Liquors where you can find the coolest brands and beers (CellarMasters downtown for wine and brews as well).
SHAG ME BABY
Retro is the rage, especially The Porn Star Martini created by London Townhouse’s bartender Douglas Ankrah – a sulty mix of vanilla and passion fruit with a shot of sparkling wine created in the early 2000s.
Porn Star Martini 1 1/2 oz. vanilla flavored vodka, 1/2 oz. DeKuyper passion fruit liqueur, 1 oz. passion fruit puree, 1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice,1/2 oz. vanilla simple syrup, 2 oz. chilled sparkling wine. Make It: Add all ingredients except sparkling wine into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and serve with sparkling wine on the side.
SPRING SIPS While a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris or Albarino sounds lovely with Easter dinner ham or rack of lamb, may we suggest a floral cocktail for adults supervising the Easter egg hunt? To make the Hibiscus-Infused Mezcal, in a covered container combine 3 oz. of dried hibiscus flowers with 1 liter of mezcal, then cover and let soak for 48 hours. Strain out the solids and bottle the mezcal for use. The infusion will keep indefinitely, but the color and flavor will fade over time.
Hibiscus Mezcal Cocktail 1 1/2 oz. Hibiscus-Infused Mezcal, 3/4 oz. Campari, 2/4 oz. Grenadine, ¾ oz. fresh lime juice, 1 dash Angostura Bitters. Make It Shake all of the ingredients with ice, then strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a clove-studded orange slice.