A Mountain Of Crushed Ice

This last thursday we had the joy of attending the first ever sponsored TDN, sponsored by Leblon cachaca.

Cocktailnerd and Rumdood participated in this TDN live from Trader Vics in Las Vegas mixing up the cocktails sent in by the online bar crowd with the bartenders at Vic’s, courtesy of Leblon cachaca. The chat room was packed the whole night. There were some interesting discussions on cachaca and cocktails with Gerry and Steve from Leblon, on-hand to discuss and answer questions and as usual there were lots of jokes and drink mixing. The best TDN i`ve attended so far, and i think i`ve been to all of them but i`m not sure.

From this TDN session i have some of my entries to share. But first, here are some random comments from yesterday:

[kaiserpenguin] I know a lot of you made up recipes ahead of time and are eager to share them. Let’s try to keep the pacing good tonight and try more drinks (rather than trying to get me drunk).

[erik_flannestad] But drunk penguins are so comical!

[steveraye] Guys…not for nothin’ but this is so cool! I’m making dinner, talking with my wife, Steve’s in Sao Paolo, Jay’s in London, tiare’s in Sweden, Gabe’s in Vegas, Camper’s in San Fran…YOWZA!!!!!!

[camper] international drink club

[rhesuspieces00]: Personally, I’m pretty excited. Cachaça sounds like an obscure ingredient, and for the time being it sort of is, but its actually an excellent base spirit that works well with a lot of other ingredients. Its quite accessible. Much more so than tequila.

SeanMike: one thing I push for is for more places to do drinks that the average public can replicate - sure, lots of infused syrups are great, but when you’re reading Food & Wine’s beverage guide and every drink requires some kind of “specialty” ingredient just for that drink…

[steveraye] Well, there’s room for both the “difficult to make” and the “consumer-friendly” recipes. People like to read the difficult ones, but make the easy ones.

[dsoneil]: if everything was easy, there wouldn’t be a need for bartenders, nor would people come back to the bar

[kaiserpenguin] Steve, that’s a very good point. That definitely falls into the cooking realm as well.

[jayhepburn] exactly darcy - one of the things i love to do in bars is order drinks with complicated ingredients that wouldn’t be worth me making just for myself.

[gerry@liveloveleblon] what we call the cocktail nation worldwide has now developed more sophisticated palettes and tastes.

[jayhepburn] anyone have a drink that doesn’t use grapefruit juice? i have plenty of spirits here, but only basic fruits and syrups.

[Las Vegas-TV] Grapefruit IS a basic fruit!! Bloody English…

TraderTiki: You buggers have fun, I’ve got sling booze for bucks.

TraderTiki: I’ll likely be joining in later, and will have a follow-up post on Cachaca.

[cachacagora] Many of the bars that have cachaca don’t know they have it.

[DrinkPlanner] usually if I say to people “it’s the stuff in that drink you get at Brazillian steakhouses” they know what I mean.

[Las Vegas-TV] gabe here, I’ve started to see it on a couple of menus in Tulsa and the midwest, but only in terribly-made caipirinhas.

[jayhepburn] here in britain sagatiba have spent a lot trying to get the category recognised. you can find caipirinahs in quite a few bars in london, but i doubt many people beyond enthusiasts realise cachaca makes the base of it.

[dsoneil]: the LCBbut, the LCBO (Ontario liquor store) does carry Pitu and Sagatiba, so it must be a growing market.

[steveraye] You can’t blame distributors…they don’t build brands, they fill orders. It’s our job…marketers, mixologists, cocktail passionista’s to build the interest and demand.

[steveraye] So, back to the point I made earlier…you guys represent the influencers that will determine consumer behavior 6-24 months down the road. Instead of complaining about stuff, you’re uniquely positioned to make *^*%* happen!

[Las Vegas-TV] Sominda, the bartender, says the Rio Tiki is “minty but with passionfruit end to it…mmmmm!”

[rowley] holy moly, the gang’s all here.

[rhesuspieces00]: have you ever considered pushing cachaça as a drink to sip neat?

[cachacagora] Rhesus: Oh, it absolutely should be sipped neat.

[steveluttmann] absolutely! here in Brazil, that’s how we’re usually consumed. i personally drink our product neat/room temp, chilled, or with tonic & lime. recommend trying it each way.

[tiare] its nice with tonic and lime, btw that in a way reminds me of the ti punch.

[cachacagora] leblon is great neat. It has an “earthiness” that some cachacas targeted to the N. American market try their best to mute.

[gerry@liveloveleblon] I really need to be behind the bar with you people. I’m so jealous. I really love the vibe you people create! it is really special.

[steveluttmann] LOVE Batidas. Had one tonight here in Sao Paulo. Has everyone had or made a Batida before?

[cachacagora] Batidas? Oh, yeah…

[samuraibartender] Wow, full house tonight.

[kaiserpenguin] the pineapple works really well with the cachaca.

[gerry@liveloveleblon] cachaça is still the 3rd most distilled spirit in the world.

[jayhepburn] first rule of cocktail blogging: your bar is never fully stocked.

[BonzoGal] Fridays are for hangover cures.

[camper] i dont think anyone has served a drink out of a banana before… would be interesting.

SeanMike: tiare swims in Campari the way kaiserpenguin swims in Fernet Branca.

[jayhepburn] every visit a new word replacement
[tiare] so true!
[CraigH] Gabe thinks that it is ‘cute.’

[cocktailnerd] heh

[steveraye] We’re still seeing a definitive movement to superior quality recognition …actually a polarization…growth in the cheap brands and also in the super/ultra premium cateogry, while brands in the middle are suffering. With Cachaca, Leblon’s taking the high road and establishing a quality statement that posers will be hardpressed to match.

[kaiserpenguin] Honestly though, a big thanks to the guys at Leblon. The night has already been a blast, and it’s not even close to nearly being over.

[gerry@liveloveleblon] next time i’m getting behind a bar to follow the drinks.

[steveraye] don’t forget to check out the twitter posts for the recipes…www.twitter.com/mixoloseum

[nerdling] I have no Leblon, so I’m just here drinking absinthe to watch the Vegas twins’ typing skills decrease.

[Dr. Bamboo] Remember- it ain’t TDN until tiare makes sausages.

[Dr. Bamboo] “TDN: 7 o’clock ’till Last Man Standing”

So here are a few of my entries. There were many many nice drinks mixed and there will be a range of nice drink recipes in the wrap up at the mixoloseum and kaiserpenguin blogs.

LEBLON CACHACA: CHERRY CRUSH

2 oz Leblon cachaca
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
0.5 oz vanilla syrup
0.5 grapefruit juice
Dash grapefruit bitters
Dash cherry grenadine.

Shake everything except cherry grenadine.Strain, pour in tall glass filled with crushed ice. Top with cherry grenadine. Garnish stemmed cherry. Depending on the grapefruits used you may take more or less of the syrups in this.

CHERRY GRENADINE

Mix 1:1 hibiscus grenadine and the liquid from a jar with homemade maraschino cherries. Or mix 2:1 grenadine and maraschino liqueur.

LEBLON CACHACA: BASIL PINEAPPLE CAIPIRINHA (OR MINT)

2 oz. Leblon Cachaça
4-5 fresh pineapple chunks
5-6 basil leaves (or mint)
½ lime quartered
2 tsp superfine sugar or 1 oz simple syrup

Muddle pineapple chunks, lime, basil or mint, and sugar/simple in a shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, add Leblon Cachaça. Shake vigorously. Serve in a rocks glass. Garnish with a piece of pineapple and basil or mint leaf

Its basil or mint as some had basil and others mint, both are tasty in this drink.

LEBLON CACHACA: RUBY KISS

2 oz Leblon cachaca

1oz Passoa

0.5 oz fresh lime

0.5 oz clove syrup

1 oz fresh ruby grapefruit juice

Dash grenadine, preferably hibiscus grenadineShake, strain, pour in tall stemmed glass filled with crushed ice.

Top with a dash of grenadine. Garnish with mint and ruby grapefruit wedge.

More TDNs has passed before this one. The themes from the two last ones has been gin and fruit liqueurs and i have 3 drinks left from those two TDNs to post, so here they are:

FRUIT LIQUEUR: TOUCAN

2 oz tequila

1 oz passoa

1/4 licor43

0.5 lime juice

0.5 simple syrup

Dash bitters.

Shake, strain, serve with crushed ice. Garnish short wide lime twist.

FRUIT LIQUEUR: HUMMINGBIRD

2 oz rhum agricole blanc

0.5 oz JWray overproof

0.5 oz cointreau

0.5 oz fresh lime juice

0.5 simple syrup

1 oz pineapple juice.

Top with a little schweppes citrus

Lots of ice.

Blend all except the schweppes citrus with crushed ice at high speed 5 sek. Throw in a bunch of mint if you like. Serve in tall glass with more crushed ice to fill, top with schweppes citrus and garnish with lots of mint.

GIN: BASIL PASSION

1.5 oz gin

0.5 oz fresh lemon juice

0.5 oz simple syrup

1 oz passionfruit juice

A couple of basil leaves, save 3 for garnish.

Shake and strain, pour in old fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.

Garnish with a lime wedge and 3 basil leaves.

Mixoloseum is a creative place!