Watch a bartender make a cocktail these days and you might be left thinking you need a lot of fancy ingredients and equipment -- and a degree in chemistry -- to pull off cocktails at home. But all you really need is the RIGHT ingredients, a measuring glass, metal shaker, a jigger or shot glass, some simple math skills (2 ounces x 2 ounces = 4 ounces), a little confidence and a willingness to taste and experiment.
I signed up for a workshop called Mixology 101 at the Savvy Wine Cellar, in Camillus, last month.
James Reed, bar manager at Pastabilities in downtown Syracuse, walked our group of 20-plus guests through four hand-crafted cocktails: a Margarita, Cosmopolitan, French 75 and Mint Julep. Each was very tasty (even the Julep; I'm not a bourbon fan) and easy to make. No powdered or liquid mixes, no blenders required.
Reed got things started with a Margarita, one of his favorites, "often done so incredibly poorly." He prefers his Margaritas on the rocks, minus salt on the rim. For both the Margarita and Cosmopolitan, Reed used freshly squeezed lime/lemon juice. "Rose's (bottled lime juice) is where a lot of people go wrong,'' he said. See Reed's Margarita recipe, below.
For the Cosmopolitan, Reed used citrus vodka and Cointreau (orange flavored liqueur). You could substitute Grand Marnier, but stay away from Triple Sec, Reed said. "It's worth it to splurge.'' Reed's Mint Julep was loaded with fresh mint, and he didn't muddle the mint. "Just throw it in there, shake it up and let the mint do it's work,'' he suggested.
The big surprise of the evening was the French 75, a sparkling wine cocktail with gin as its base. It's a fizz-style drink -- Reed described it as an adaptation of a Tom Collins. It was light, crisp and refreshing, and would make a great brunch drink or recipe for a crowd to get a porch party or barbecue started. It's made with just four ingredients: gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and sparkling wine.
Reed selected middle shelf liquors, as opposed to "top shelf" liquors, to work with: Sobieski cytron vodka from Poland, Beefeater London Dry Gin (England), Espolon Tequila Blanco (Mexico) and Woodford Reserve bourbon whiskey.
The Savvy Wine Cellar, owned by Dale Record and Allison Palermo-Record, is at 5316 W. Genesee St., Camillus. The Records offer wine tastings at the tasting bar on Fridays and Saturdays each week, as well as frequent events, like wine and food and holiday meal pairings. Their sixth anniversary tasting event is coming up April 18. CLICK HERE for more information on Savvy Wine Cellar events.
Single-Serve Margarita (from bartender James Reed)
2 ounces tequila blanco
3/4 Cointreau (or Grand Marnier)
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
3/4 ounce raw agave nectar
Salt for glass rim (optional)
Add ice to shaker set base, then add tequila, Cointreau/Grand Marnier, juices and raw agave nectar. Shake well. Pour through bar strainer and serve over ice in a glass. Makes one serving.
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