Every day I preach the virtues of Oregon. Now it's time for Memphis to experience it themselves. Joe's Wines Passport to Oregon will be the best wine tasting event to hit the city. Guaranteed. I've fallen in love with the wines of Oregon because of their heart, soul, passion, uniqueness, sensuality & overall deliciousness.

I just found out that both Cornerstone Cellars (pouring their Willamette Valley pinot noir of course) & Domaine Drouhin Oregon have signed on to participate! Domaine Drouhin!

You can purchase your tickets at

Joe's Wines & Liquors

1681 Poplar

Memphis, TN 38104

901.725.4252

Boulevardier

Classic cocktails are classics for a reason. They stand the taste & test of time. For example, the Boulevardier has been around for a very very long time. Many cocktail aficionados & professionals have been re-examining, reworking & exploring traditional drinks. One of my favorites of old is the Boulevardier which is takeoff of the Negroni. What we have here is the sweetness & spice of bourbon, the bitter earthiness of Campari (or you can sub Aperol) & the rich bittersweet nuances of sweet vermouth. I absolutely adore this drink.

Bitters

In my opinion most drinks need bitters. Think about it. Quite often there have been times where I've tasted a drink & thought "hmmm. There is something missing here." I guarantee what's missing is bitters. A perfect drink is a balanced one & bitters brings balance but also layers of complexity. I've been getting into making my own bitters lately & it's become a bit addictive. So far I've made Allan Benton Bacon bitters, Kaffir Lime Leaf Bitters & Ginger bitters. All I did was infuse wormwood into alcohol for the bittering agent part of the equation. I then infused the flavoring agent into a separate batch of alcohol. After letting them infuse for a week or so I blended them together until I achieved the right amount of bitterness. If thats a bit too much work just keep your eyes peeled for Fee Brothers bitters. They make very delicious & very unique bitters.

The Cocktail Scene in Memphis

Check out my latest article here. It's a quick look at the cocktail scene in my city. I love this town.

It's Time For a Drink

Anyone who knows me or reads my other blog Midtown Stomp knows that I love cocktails. Not only the drinking of them but more importantly the crafting of them. I love the creative side of it & especially the artisan edge it takes to truly craft a spectacular drink. This new blog will be an exploration of that.

Recently I crafted specialty drinks for Tsunami's Holiday Artist Market. My mindset when creating the drinks was this: Holiday spice. One of the most unique & flavorful spirits on the market today is St Elizabeth's Allspice Dram. I know. Allspice is perfect for the holidays. The first thing I thought of when I tasted it was Christmas. The second thing I thought of was Bourbon. Specifically a Manhattan.

Xmas in Manhattan

2.5 oz Bourbon (either Buffalo Trace or Maker's Mark)

.5 oz St Elizabeth's Allspice Dram

1 oz Sweet Vermouth (either Dolin or Martini & Rossi)

2 dashes homemade Allan Benton Bacon Bitters

2 Dashes Regan's Orange Bitters

Garnish with either a bourbon poached cherry or a clove studded orange peel

To prepare this drink add the ingredients (aside from the garnish) to an ice filled shaker. Shake until chilled. Pour into either a martini coupe or a rocks glass. Flame the orange peel over the glass & drop in. If you garnish with the cherry skewer it first & drop it in the glass.