Cooler Weather=Four Roses+Cock n’Bull Ginger Beer

October 8, 2012

Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer is one of those flavors that just won’t leave my mind. There are many ginger beers on the market today. Some of them good, some great and some truly amazing. I’ve found that the Cock ‘n Bull is a spicier ginger beer than most and it has a core of real ginger root.

There has been a resurgence for classic cocktails made with ginger beer, a nostalgic experience. Perhaps this is because drinkers enjoy the more robust flavors of ginger beer in combination with diverse liquors. I like mine not only with Rum in the classic ‘Dark ‘n Stormy’ but also the smoky and spicy notes of Bourbon Whiskey mixed with ginger beer.

The Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer has a venerable history that dates back long before many of the current day products were even thought of.

Jack Morgan was the owner of the restaurant in Los Angeles in the 1940’s by the name of the Cock ‘n Bull. He was the inventor of the historic drink named the Moscow Mule- which is no more than vodka and his namesake extra spicy, ginger beer.

Fast forward to current day. The Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer is now available in multiple markets around the country. Cocktailians from all over are discovering the extreme ease when mixing Cockt ‘n Bull with liquors as diverse as dark Rum, Scotch, Cognac, Irish Whiskey, and of course Bourbon!

I love Bourbon Whiskey mixed with Ginger Beer. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is one of my favorite go/to’s for Bourbon that is heading for the cocktail shaker. The first thing I taste when sipping Four Roses straight is the sweet vanilla enrobed in cayenne pepper, tempered by lightly smoked peaches. There is definitely stone fruit in every sip of the Small Batch version.

Mixed with the Cock n’ Bull Ginger Beer, the Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon adds dimension and character to every cocktail. I prefer my Roses and Ginger in a tall glass. And in keeping with my cocktailian persuits, I like to twist it up a bit. Keep it fresh and different.

Bitter End Bitters makes one such cocktail augmentation that I feel would just rock in this Bourbon/Ginger Beer cocktail. It is called the Mexican Mole Bitters. Laced with hot chilies, bittersweet chocolate and Southwestern herbs, each scant drop adds a hidden element that will fully reveal itself when combined with the other ingredients in the cocktail.

And in keeping with my cocktailian intellect, I’ve frozen these Bitter End Mexican Mole’ Bitters into ice cubes made with water from my Mavea “Inspired Water” Pitcher. The water is inspired because of a proprietary formula to strip out the harmful elements of ordinary tap water and turn it (inspire) into a crisp, luscious glass of water.

The same holds true for ice. Ice made with water from my Mavea freezes almost crystal clear!

I’ve been adding different cocktail bitters into my ice. When the ice melts, the cocktail bitters become melded into the cocktail, augmenting the flavor and deepening it during the melting process.

While some cocktail chefs are experimenting with liquid nitrogen, I’m using a much less expensive method of freezing. Ice is my method, frozen for a couple of hours in the freezer.

Laced with the Bitter End Bitters- the drink becomes something otherworldly.

And that’s why I make cocktails. To deepen my customer’s sense of taste. Each taste is a living laboratory in each sip.

Four Roses Small Batch and Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer

(Tall Drink)

Make ice using Bitter End Mexican Mole’ Bitters (4 drops per cube) with water from a Mavea “Inspired Water” pitcher.

Freeze overnight or until absolutely firm

Add three “inspired water” ice cubes to a tall glass

Add 2 Oz. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon

Add Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer to top

Add a bit of fresh lime juice and a hunk of lime

Scrape some fresh nutmeg over the top (essential!)

Serve to an appreciative customer!

Danger level 3 out of 5..

If you want a stronger drink, then just add more Bourbon!

About me:

Warren Bobrow is the Food and Drink Editor of the 501c3 non profit Wild Table on Wild River Review located in Princeton, New Jersey.

He is one of 12 journalists world-wide, and the only one from the USA to participate in the Fête de la Gastronomie– the weekend of September 22nd. 2012 in Burgundy.

He attended Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans in 2011/2012.

Warren presented freestyle mixology at the International Food Bloggers Conference in Portland, Oregon. (2012)

Warren judged the Iron Mixology competition at the Charleston Wine and Food Festival (2012)

Warren has published over four hundred articles on everything from cocktail mixology to restaurant reviews to travel articles- globally.

You may also find him on the web at: http://www.cocktailwhisperer.com

October 9, 2012

I’ll admit it. I’m a carnivore. There is nothing I like more than tucking into a slab of dry-aged PRIME Beef. My favorite way of cooking dry aged beef is very simple. Let the steak come to room temperature to relax the muscle. Rub the steak with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.Grill over hard-wood charcoal, preferably homemade. Homemade charcoal you say? Yes. I make my own from wood that I age and cut by hand. It’s easy. If you don’t have access to a few dozen fallen trees you can always buy a bag of “natural” charcoal at your local Whole Foods market.

It’s very important, in fact essential NEVER to buy that charcoal that has lighter fluid cooked into it. Why? Because no matter how long you burn the infused charcoal, it will always taste like gasoline.

When I’m paying top dollar from my local German butcher (Hoeffner’s in Morristown, NJ) I want to make sure that my dry-aged beef tastes like beef!

Not like lighter fluid.

Starting a charcoal grill is simple. I’ve never owned a gas grill and wouldn’t know what to do with one if I did.

A fine choice is the medium sized Weber Kettle Grill.

I can control the heat for cooking by burning the coals on one side of the grill and using the natural convection from the curved lid to “circular” cook whatever I desire. The heat works wonders and infuses your food is a bath of luscious wood smoke.

You can even add grapevines, cherry or apple wood to the fire to add flavor.

Plus the natural flavor of hard-wood charcoal is far more pleasurable in my opinion than the flavor of gas. Just my opinion after years of cooking over wood.

Bourbon Distilleries often sell the charcoal that lines the insides of their barrels. I recently received a bag of Rye Whiskey infused charcoal from a distillery in Pennsylvania named Dad’s Hat. I placed the Rye Whiskey charcoal just off the heat so that the aromatics of the Whiskey combined with the burning wood, throwing off a Rye laced smoke. On a rack of beef ribs, the aromatics were most beguiling. You can duplicate this at home. There are no secrets here! Ok, maybe one secret. When the charred meat comes off the grill, let it rest on a wooden cutting board for about three to five minutes. Why? If you cut into it hot off the grill, all the succulent juices will drain out, leaving you with a tough piece of meat.

This is my secret and one that I’m sure Chef Symon will concur with as well.

Imagine my delight when I learned that Michael Symon, the 2009 James Beard Award winning chef was coming to the Short Hills Williams-Sonoma store!

Finally, someone who gets it when teaching the careful preparation of meat!

Yes, he is a carnivore– like myself. I’m sure we’ll have much in common. As a former grill-dog in the restaurant business, I can talk charred meat all day long!

Michael Symon, the author of the upcoming book named Carnivore is coming to sign his newest cookbook in our local Williams-Sonoma store.

Anyone who exemplifies the art of cooking meat will be charmed by his eloquent style and abundant passion.

Although Michael will not be doing a cooking demo during this book signing, he will fill the room with his infectious wit.

From what I hear, he disarms even his toughest critics!

I cannot wait to meet him in person and you will too.

See you in Short Hills!

Here’s the event information:

Williams-Sonoma Short Hills (Upper Level)

Mall At Short Hills
Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 5:00pm
1200 Morris Turnpike, Short Hills, NJ, 07078
(973) 467-3641

Here’s more information about Michael:
Co-host on The Chew, an Iron Chef and host of Cooking Channel’s Symon Suppers, chef Michael Symon wows even the toughest food critics, while making audiences smile with his contagious laugh.

Carnivore, Symon’s second cookbook, will be out this October and feature recipes crafted for meat-lovers.

http://bit.ly/SO4sdO

I’m hoping if you are in the New York/New Jersey- Metro area, you’ll come out for this introduction to a true Star Chef, Michael Symon.

Here is a simple cocktail that I invented to go with grilled beef.

The Brick Pollitt Cocktail Makes one really tangy/spicy cocktail perfect for aged PRIME Beef

Ingredients:

Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey

Royal Rose Simple Syrup of Three Chilies

Bitter End Memphis Barbecue Bitters

Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water

Ice made from your Mavea “Inspired Water” Pitcher infused with the Bitter End Memphis BBQ Bitters

Preparation:

One day prior to making your cocktails, freeze a tray of ice using your Mavea Pitcher “Inspired Water” and drop four drops of the Bitter End Memphis BBQ Bitters into each opening of the ice cube tray, freeze overnight

To a Boston Shaker (cocktail shaker) add some regular ice

Add 2 oz. Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey (or your choice of Rye)

Add 2 Tablespoons Royal Rose Simple Syrup of Three Chilies

Stir well to chill, do not shake this cocktail!

Add a couple of the Bitter End Bitters infused Mavea Water- ice cubes to a short rocks glass

Pour the Rye and Royal Rose Simple Syrup mixture over the top of your infused ice and then add a splash of the Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water for a bit of fizz

Sip to a perfectly cooked steak and your hungry demeanor!

Best Chef: Great Lakes, presented by James Beard Foundation 2009 Winner: Michael Symon