Hot Happy Hour Cocktails

Happy New Year everyone! I have neglected my readers on here for way to long.. Expect alot of new posts, some reviews Ive been promising, event pics, and vids and all the new developments that ended 2011, and are continuing thru 2012 and beyond.

Now here in Chicago we have been having an unseasonably warm winter. It almost felt like spring for the last couple weeks. But the last couple days the bottom finally fell out!! Its COLD AS A MOTHER IN LAWS WORDS right about now. Snow, wind, ice, slush, we got hit with it all at the same time... What to do when its cold like this? The traditional Vodka/Cranberry, Rum/Coke, Margarita is not really in season. Why don't you warm up with some "Hot" Cocktails. There are many Hot cocktails that can be made with Tea, coffee, hot water, etc so here's 3 that are my personal favorites and some I'm sure you all will enjoy as well...

Irish Coffee 
Whiskey( Jameson is my preference)
Cream(Bailey's is my preference)
Coffee(Duh..lol)
Brown Sugar

Now there are many different variations of this cocktail, but I like the original which calls for Brown sugar instead of white. So the prep consists of pouring the Coffee in a mug. Add Whiskey, and a Tsp. of sugar and stirred until dissolved. Layer the cream on top, using the back of a bar spoon. It should sit right on top of the coffee and the drink should be sipped thru the cream. This can be a very tasty way to warm yourself up on a cold day!\









Hot Toddy
Whiskey
Hot Water
Sugar
Honey
Lemon

Who hasn't had one of these? This has been a tradition in my family to kill a cold for years.. Actually my 1st ever encounter with alcohol came in the form of my uncle giving me one of these when i was younger! Thanks Unc! It is a mixed cocktail where you take some boiling water, add a little whiskey( Old Grandad is my preference) Hot water, squeeze about an ounce of fresh lemon juice, and about half an ounce of Sugar and honey. Now Ive heard some people like to add a dash of cinnamon or garnish with a cinnamon stick, to add to the flavor.

And finally one of my NEW favorite hot cocktails and Today is the NATIONAL day for this cocktail, the Hot Buttered Rum.



Hot Buttered Rum
1 small slice soft butter
1 tsp brown sugar
Optional spices to taste: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice
Vanilla extract
2 oz Dark Rum
Hot water

All I can say is this is Deliciouslessness(yes I made that word up!) in a glass!! I like Rum, actually I love Rum! And if you've been out all day, on a cold Chicago winter day and you come in and whip one of these up, makes for a great evening. Muddle your butter,sugar,vanilla, and your choice of additional spices, Add your Rum, and hot water. Give it a good stir and enjoy!

So here are a few of my favorite hot cocktails, and hopefully during this cold Chicago Winter you'll be able to enjoy one from time to time. And if you ever catch me at the SL Sports Lounge working a shift and you want to warm up, feel free to ask for one. Ill make it just right for you :)

Until Next Time
Mr.Mixologist

Service is Key #2

OK. Ive done the service is key blog awhile ago, but seems like this subject needs to be re-visited. So here's an experience that I had at a VERY high profile hotel here in Chicago.... Note, when I go to a bar I do NOT announce that I am also a bartender, I just like to see what my counterparts are like with regular customers...Also I hate when people tell me that, so i tend to just let the bartender do their own thing..

Me: Hello, can I have an Aviation please?

Bartender: We don't carry those..

Me: "blank stare" ummmmm.. That's a cocktail.

Bartender: Oh well we don't have those.

Me: OK a Negroni then.

Bartender: "Shakes the Negroni.

Me: you know what, I'll just have a beer..



Now Ive been bartending and in the hospitality industry for a nice while now. And while Ive never claimed to be the best, nor am I afraid to look to others in the industry for tips and pointers.. This was UNACCEPTABLE!!!

There are about 20-25 drinks that every bartender should know. And be able to construct these drinks without any hiccups. Prep, measurements, shaken vs stirred, served on the rocks or straight up, and the Garnish. Especially when you are in a high paced environment as this bartender was in a 6 star hotel. This bartender will get guests from all over the world, from all walks of life, and will encounter some cocktails that are not of the "popular" genre and needs to be able to knock them out without any problems!!

Once again, Ive never claimed to be the best, and I learn something new each and every day, whether its from reading, or the fact that I took the AMAZING Mixology class offered by Southern Wine and Spirits and taught by the equally AMAZING Bridget Albert, or just seeking out the talents of my peers( Josh Pearson, Todd Appel, Daniel De Olivera, just to name a few, there are way to many to name), there is always room to get better and perfect your craft, So that you don't make the mistake of ruining someones cocktail. People come to the bar for an experience, and you are the gateway to them enjoying it, or never coming back to your establishment ever again! You make the decision of which you would rather have....

Until Next Time
Mr.Mixologist

We Are BACK!!

Hey everybody!

You know, I have been neglecting all my fans on my blog. Between guest writing for my good friend Cocktails 365, planning events here in Chicago for LeSin Vodka,  competing in drink competitions, and getting my business up off the ground ( DrinkxXx On Me Bartending Service) and oh yeah, every now and again stopping thru my bar to actually work a shift, lol.. Ive neglected my readers here. So I'M BACK!! Gonna keep it short, sweet, to the point. Keep you updated on events, new and exciting drink recipes, and share with you some of the people, places, and bars/clubs/restaurants I encounter in my search for the perfect cocktail.

I cant believe its been a month since I was at Tales Of The Cocktail. That was a week Ill never forget! My TOTC cherry finally was broken and I enjoyed every moment of my stay in NOLA. I met most of my twitter friends who I had been tweeting with since I first signed up to the Social Network.  Funny story, so I was tweeting with one particular gentleman all weekend, and trying to link up for cocktails or dinner but couldn't seem to find the time. So my last full day in NOLA started off at the Milagro Tequila Pool Party on top of the Monteleone. So while there was plenty of tequila, women in bikinis, I had some woman snatch my shirt off, and water guns filled with alcohol, it was one gentleman there who seemed to be calm amiss all the chaos. So we began chatting, talked RUM, took a couple pics and exchanged business cards. I took one look at his card and immediately it was who I had been trying to connect with all weekend!!! So with that, I want to introduce all my readers to a good friend of mine, Mr. Warren Bobrow...

I asked Warren to provide me with a short Bio so that you all can get a glimpse into this Amazing cocktailer, and a source of knowledge that I plan to consult with for any of my cocktail and spirit questions....

"I grew up on an organic/biodynamic farm in Morristown, NJ.



I am a food/wine and cocktail writer for the Wild River Review, (Princeton, NJ) NJ Monthly, Edible Jersey, Saveur, NYTimes travel section, NJ Savvy Living, NJ Life Health and Beauty, Chutzpah Magazine, Rambling Epicure (Geneva, Switzerland) Taste for Travel, (Sydney, Australia) DrinkGal.com, Drinking in America, ServedRaw.com, Morris County Daily Record, the Morristown Patch, and the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food/Drink in America. Ed.,2., on the topic of Biodynamic and organic food/wine. A cocktail writer for Foodista and also for Serious Eats".

Warren attended the Tales of the Cocktail as photojournalist/journalist.

Warren was a rum judge at the Ministry of Rum Sugar Cane Spirit Tasting Competition in San Francisco in 2010. He is also a rum judge for the Barbados Beer and Rum Festival in October 2011.

Warren prides himself on all of his cocktails being easy to prepare, and using organic and small producer ingredients when possible.   Rum is his medium of choice, although he published in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America on the topic of Organic and Biodynamic wines.  He's written about Bourbon for Okra Magazine in New Orleans and have work currently running in Serious Eats.com and has upcoming work in Foodista and Voda Magazine which is a good friend of mine here in Chicago.

The reason this blog post was so important for me to share with all of you, was because Social Networking when used properly and effectively can place you in positions where you will meet and be able to connect with AMAZING people. I probably would have never met Mr. Bobrow in my life, yet thru social media and both of our loves for this industry we were able to connect and he is someone who I can call friend. Cheers to you sir!

Hope you guys enjoyed learning about my friend and if you are on Twitter and Facebook, you can connect with Warren as well by Following these links...

http://www.facebook.com/#!/wbobrow
http://twitter.com/#!/WarrenBobrow1

Hope you guys enjoy reading this, and have as much fun as I had when I wrote it.

Until Next Time
Mr.Mixologist

Serve Responsibly

My Job is NOT TO GET YOU DRUNK!!!

My job is to create GREAT cocktails, and to provide an escape from everyday stresses. That's what the bar/lounge/club is, an escape. Whether its from your spouse, job, kids, etc, people come to the bar for many different reasons. Now because of the strength of alcohol, everyone hits their limit at different levels...

Now my job is to make sure that I serve you, and when I see you are getting close, or about to surpass your limit, to cut you off, and serve you RESPONSIBLY!! I am a responsible bartender. I don't want to see any of my clients(because you are more than just customers to me) to EVER leave the bar in a condition where they are putting themselves as well as everyone else around them, or on the road in danger.

All of this leads up to why I posted this today. I had a friend of mine stop by my bar last night. Had one to many, and when i saw she was fading, I started pumping her with water. She fell asleep at the  bar, and woke up trying to drive herself home... Wasn't gonna happen on my shift!! Took responsibility of the situation, took her keys(as she was by herself), found her a place to sleep it off inside the bar, AND drove her home and made sure she was in, sleep, and safe..

I'm sure the Bartender Gods somewhere are smiling down on me today! Too many times Ive seen colleagues allow people to keep drinking and drinking and drinking... and while its good for our pockets, its no good for your reputation... Most, if not all of us are BASSET certified and with that certification, we accepted the responsibility to be mindful of our customers, and serve them responsibly!!

Normally I don't preach and  I never try to get on a high horse, but after my experience last night(which I haven't dealt with since I 1st started tending bar) I felt the need to salute all my fellow bartenders/mixologist who take the extra steps to ensure a safe bar, and to those who don't, please take some time and practice using some discretion in dealing with our customers.. Remember if they leave your bar and get into an accident, WE are just a liable in that situation as they are! The bar can loose their license, we can go to jail, and its just a bad situation all across the board!

Just a little something to think about...

Until next time
Mr.Mixologist

The 2011 "Star of the Bar" Dante Lopresti

The NRA show is here in Chicago and its bringing out all the top stars in the restaurant and bar industry. Last year they had the inaugural "Star of the Bar" competition, and  a good friend of mine, Nathan Greene from Las Vegas was the first winner.

The contest consists of bartenders uploading a custom cocktail to YouTube, and getting people to vote for their drink. The top 6 will be invited to the NRA show to compete and the crowd will pick the top 3, then they will compete at a separate location to be crowned the "Star of the Bar"..

So will great honor and pleasure I present to you all the 2011 IWSB Star of the Bar, my good friend, Dante Lopresti..

Dante's winning cocktail was the "Pink Lion" which is made up of Cazadores Blanco, Hum liqueur, Elderflower Lillet Blanc and fresh lemon... Needless to say if you haven't had one get your ass down to Mercadito's downstairs lounge, Double A, in the River North section of downtown and get this competition winning cocktail from the man himself!!!!

Again from a friend and a colleague, congratulations Dante!! Great way to represent Mixology in Chicago!!!




 
 
Check out the cool vid of Dante's winning cocktail here...
http://youtu.be/OC13yU5Hi8E
 
 
Until next time
Mr.Mixologist

RIP "Macho Man" Randy Savage

A truly somber day to wrestling fans all over the world as a true legends in the sport, Randy "Macho Man" Savage passed away today at 58. He apparently had a heart attack while behind the wheel this morning. As one of my favorite wrestlers this hurt me that he is gone. The match between him and Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania is a classic, as well as his life long feud with Hulk Hogan. After wrestling he became even more famous with his role in Spiderman, and moreso for being the face of Slim Jim( SNAP INTO A SLIM JIM!!!)

When news broke my good friends over at History of Drinking( follow them on twittter @drinkinghistory ) posted a couple of Randy Savage cocktails to always have a piece of the Macho man with us always!! Check them out...

Randy Macho Man Savage Cocktail

1 1/2 oz Vodka

1 1/2 oz Rum
Coca Cola
Glass: Highball
Garnish: None
Build in an ice-filled Highball glass. Top with Coke. Sub out the coke for Root beer if you want to make a “Miss Elizabeth”. (Also an RIP to Miss Elizabeth, who passed away in 2003)


Slim Jim Shake

4 sticks of Slim Jim/pieces beef jerky

4 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream
2 tablespoons a- 1 steak sauce
Glass: Highball or footed milk shake glass
Garnish: Slim Jim

blend all ingredients pour into glass, garnish and “enjoy”.

*** Recipes adapted from Food.com and Whattodrink.com***

So to all wrestling fans and sport entertainment fans all over the globe, Raise your glass one time and say "oooooooooooooooo yeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh" one time for the Macho Man!! You will be missed!!

Until Next Time
Mr.Mixologist

Bartender of the Week for 4-7-11

HEY EVERYBODY!!!!

Trying something new with the blog. Along with reviews, drink recipes, and general blogging, I will be featuring a new bartender each week to profile. Ive done it in the past and had a few very colorful characters in the past, from Chicago's very own Fuzzy, to Atl's Mike, to Las Vegas own Poshly Chic cocktail service, and LaTonia Sanders.

So this week, since its coming back and needed a spark and new bartender, our feature will be the very sexy, and beautiful bartender/mixologist Erendida Harris.

All I can say upon initial talking to her is I would sit at her bar ALL NIGHT!!!! One word.......... Gorgeous!!!! But its alot more than just a pretty face to this bartender.... Erendida is a bartender at Vibe nightclub(Formerly Crobar) here in Chicago. But enough from me, Ill let Erendida tell you about her yourself.... Here's a brief Bio......

"I have always been in the service industry, I started working in a fast food restaurant at 14 in order to pay for me playing sports. As soon as I turned 21, I begged the manager to let me bartend or to let one of the bartenders show how to. But, since we already had "veterans" I wasn't given a chance until much later. But, I always watched how the bartenders bartended. It wasn't about "just making drinks", there was a science behind it and it intrigued me. It was more personal than waitressing and not as much work AND way more money... So when I was finally given my chance behind the bar, I soaked it all up. Tasting all the different liquors and wines we had was an eye opening experience because up to that point, all I knew was commercial brands of liquor. I looked forward to when beer, liquor or wine reps that would come in with new samples of products. I did some research on my own and taken a few of classes on spirits, but this is just one dimension of the whole bartending experience..."

Cant you see the passion she has for the industry.. I LOVE IT!!!!! But there is more to this beautiful ladies story...

"What I personally love about my job, is the freedom I have. I get to dress however I want, do my make-up however I want, and style my hair however I want. I get to dance all night and I talk to people who I would have never met on a regular basis. I get to make up new drinks and have my customers taste them (most love my lil concoctions). I work at night only a few nights a week and that is enough for me to pay all my bills  and then some.  I get to be invited to some pretty kick ass events... I could go on and on about all the perks. But what I really motivates me IS seeing people smile. I know, I know, It sounds soooo cheesy, but I know my role in your day. You come to the club for a release of everyday life. You want to escape from your constant reality and get lost in a moment. And as a bartender, all I can hope is that I want to be a positive experience for you. That's why I dance and sing all night. That is why you will always see me smiling or laughing. That's why I start up conversations with strangers at my bar. That is why I always want say Hi to everyone that I recognize.  That is why I do some cornball, goofy thing when I know your watching me... To make you smile. I like to think this is my small contribution to the world right now :)"

I asked Erendida what bartending meant to her, and this is her answer...(Honestly I love this answer as it embodies everything I feel a bartender should be)........

"I have met so many amazing people, I have had the pleasure to work with some of Chicago's best bartenders, I have heard so many amazing djs, I have seen some amazing performances... truly, it has been an amazing time.


I have such a different view on this industry and I love it. For a person like me, bartending has been an ideal job for where I am right now in my life. It has given me a different perspective on what I can be in this industry, and it's so cool, because I can be whatever I want and I actually get to use my degree (well kinda). I can be a bartender,, I can be a therapist (no license but I will lend on open ear), I can be a host, I can plan an event, I can manage the place, I can train people... it's truly is empowering.


Bartending has taken me to a place where I never thought I'd be and I look forward to see where it takes me..."
 
So when in the Chi and looking for a place to party and hang out have a good time enjoy some great drinks, stop by Vibe(1543 N. Kingsbury) and visit Erendida. I'm very sure,  considering how passionate she is about the industry, and the fact that she truly enjoys being a bartender, you will not be disappointed!!
 
You can also follow her on twitter at @Dida34
 
Hope you enjoyed this weeks featured bartender as she is Mr.Mixx approved!!!!!
 
If you are a bartender/Mixologist and would like to be featured, shoot me an email over to DrinksOnMeinc@gmail.com or tweet @MrMixologist or @DrinkxXxOnMeInc and we will get you featured in the coming weeks.
 
Until next Time
Mr.Mixologist