Spanish Kiss

Spanish Kiss
(makes 1 large drink to share or 2 martini-sized drinks)

2 oz Vodka
3 oz Fresh Meyer Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Dessert Sherry (PX)

2 generous pours of Ginger beer

Put first 4 ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake vigorously
pour up, top with ginger beer


Valentine's Day may be over, but you can keep the romance alive with this sumptuous drink after your next ceremonial dinner. 

This drink is form The Salt House in San Francisco and is again, one of those drinks that make you ponder the interesting blend of flavors. 

I discovered Pedro Ximenez on my honeymoon in Madrid. We had dinner at Zalacain, heralded at the time as one of the best restaurants in Europe. What we didn't know is that NOT ONE SOUL spoke English in this place. Before you roll your eyes, mentally chiding me for inexcusable philistinism, know that I grew up on the east coast and took French all through high school and college. I erronesouly assumed that my new husband, who grew up in California, would know enough Spanish to get us around Madrid. WRONG!  After a lot of pointing, an uncomfortable exchange, trying to explain we didn't want the 15-course meal that included intestinal treats, we were mentally spent.  The bright spot in the meal was our Sommelier.  He was charming, with his silver necklace tasting cup draped proudly around his neck and he gave us plenty of gracious smiles.  And more importunity, he introduced us to Pedro Ximenez after dinner. I was transported, away from the overly-served fried ham balls that we had been served at every tapas place across the city.  Oh! THIS! This sherry drifted me, and my mouth, to some happy Spanish netherworld of consciousness, as the rich, sweetly luxurious liquid slid off my tongue and down my throat.  I had never tasted anything like it. The sherry is made by drying the grapes in the hot sun, concentrating the sugar.  Vin Santo, Amarone  and other straw method wines dry the fruit on matts in the sun to achieve that dark, prune fruit.  This is just another lovely example of the treasures the earth and sun produce for our drinking pleasure. 

When my mom was visiting we made a flan and drank with the PX that my friend Virgie gave me. Perfect pairing.  So when you buy a bottle, make a Spanish Kiss, then make a flan the next day and enjoy the rest of the bottle. 

WARNING: May cause conception


"If penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life." 
- Sir Alexander Fleming

Cheers! 

Smoking Goat

Smoking Goat

Makes 1 Drink

2 oz Noah's Mill Bourbon
1 oz Campari
2 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
2 Tb Fresh Orange Juice
3/4 Tb Agave Nectar
3 dashes of Peychaud Bitters

(1/2 shot glass of Macallan 10 for a rinse)

Pour Bourbon into a cocktail shaker that is 1/2 full of ice, add remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.  In a low ball glass, pour the Macallen scotch and swirl to coat the inside of the glass, fill with crushed ice then strain drink over the ice and garnish with orange. 

Important Note: this cocktail is for someone who enjoys libations on the bitter end of things, like a Negroni, for example. If you are a Cosmo drinker you might want to skip this one. 

Notes:
One of my very favorite people, David, was working in Hawaii for the last few weeks, dining out regularly with clients.  One night, he sent me a photo of the cocktail menu from the Salt Bar & Kitchen in Honolulu. He had ordered, and very much liked, the Smoking Goat, which listed Rye Whiskey, Aperol, Luxardo, Lagavulin 16 & Mole bitters as the blend.  Since I didn't have Rye, only had Campari and, more importantly, didn't have the time to gather the long list of unbelievably esoteric ingredients to make the mole bitters, I made my own version with what I already had in my bar.  This goat smoker is a VERY interesting combination,  I would say a great choice for a pre-dinner cocktail, which has the magic to prepare your appetite in the most perfect of ways.

CHEERS!