Suomi 100 - Sour

SUOMI 100 - SOUR

A toast to Finland's 100-year anniversary!

Happy independence day Finland! To celebrate this event, I picked up a recipe from the newest cocktail - magazine made specifically for this. The Suomi 100 - Sour. The recipe looked fun enough so of course I want to make it myself as well. For readers abroad, this cocktail can still be made there, since you don't need any super rare ingredients to pull this one off!

• 4 cl Finlandia vodka
• 4 cl blueberry juice/soup
• 3 cl fresh lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• 2 tsp caster sugar

Dry shake everything, add ice, shake again. Strain into an OF-glass and garnish. The original recipe called for blueberries, but this time of the year they're not available and using frozen ones is questionable due to their small size. So instead I used a lemon twist.

How does the Suomi 100 - sour taste like? Smooth, very smooth and a very clear blueberry flavor boosted with alcohol. Not too sharp (the citrus-y notes) and well balanced. It doesn't have too much depth to it, so IMHO it's an overall ok drink to enjoy. On a side note, it is pretty as can be!

This said, I too want to raise a toast for Finland's 100th independence day! Cheers!

Chocolate Cake Shot

CHOCOLATE CAKE SHOT

Those with eagle eyes can see the sugar on the lemon :D

Oi! Shooter time! Gosh, I can't remember the last time I made a SHOOTER! :D But since it's the last of November (read: Movember; in Finnish), I decided to pull one off and not just one, but THREE versions of it! I introduce you to the Chocolate Cake Shot. Apparently some version include a different kind of vodka so I thought, screw it, let's try them all...at once! Moreover, scientists say that black magic is involved in this shot (how the ingredients make it taste like a chocolate cake), so I absolutely had to give it a try. Here we go:

• 2 cl Frangelico
• 2 cl vodka* (see notes)
• lemon
• cast sugar

So according to different recipes, either use *regular, vanilla or citrus - flavored vodka. No need for shakers, since it's supposed to be a party shot. Add the ingredients to a shot glass and rim the lemon wedge with sugar. Shoot and bite in the wedge! MAGIC!

I tried with all three different styles of vodka and IMHO the order of tastiness goes like this:

1. regular
2. vanilla
3. citrus

Also, some recipes call for rimmed shot glasses and what-nots, but I believe the above way is the easiest, especially when having this as a party version. The Chocolate Cake Shooter is. De-li-cious.

The Rum Pickle

THE RUM PICKLE

(Eetu Topo)

Good evening everyone! This cocktail is...wow, something truly special in its own kind. I had my doubts. I really did. Moreover, I've also wanted to make this cocktail for some time and today it happened. Before we discuss this drink more, I give credit where credit is due. This cocktail is made by Eetu Topo, a bartender working (assumably) in Helsinki. He made this...it's not really just a cocktail but a category of cocktail, which in my sincerest opinion in all its craziness works.

"I especially want to bring out this new drink category and Nordic cocktail culture and not so much myself as a bartender."

- Eetu Topo

To make a long story short, he made it to the Bacardi Legacy finals (2017) with this drink and I am here now to re-create it to the best of my ability. Also very noteworthy is the fact that Eetu mentioned this cocktail can be twisted and even highly recommended for other bar(tender)s so one needn't be 100% precise as long as the concept is grasped. So, without further ado. I present you Eetu Topo's masterpiece, the Rum Pickle. No, NO RICK! :D

• 45 ml Bacardi Carta Oro
• 20 ml Chablis
• 5 ml white wine vinegar
• 5 ml sugar
• 1 pickled olive

Stir to dissolve the sugar, add ice, stir and chill, strain, garnish and serve.

Simplified for your pleasure:

• 2 parts spirit
• 1 part lengthener
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pickled garnish

Courtesy of the Rum Pickle corporation...or something :D

So, what I did was exactly the same expect using Bacardi 8yo since I was out of...well I never have had Carta Oro rum. But nonetheless. Taste. Okay, let's discuss taste. Where do I start? As I mentioned in the beginning, I was very doubtful of how this cocktail would taste like but HOT DAMN, Eetu you S.O.B. you made magic! Delicious as fudge, reminded me so much of riesling wine. Sweet, that acidity and flavor profile of the rum just hit the spot. I can just imagine what wonders one could make by switching the vinegar (say, raspberry vinegar or so), or using a different lengthener (instead of Chablis, which I even got extra from the liquor store just to make this :D).

Good stuff!

Pariisin Varpunen / Nikolaschka / La Môme Piaf

Pariisin Varpunen / Nikolaschka / 

La Môme Piaf

Hi everyone! Today I made a shot called Pariisin Varpunen (La môme Piaf / Little Sparrow) / Nikolaschka. Depending on the main ingredient used. The recipe I got from a Finnish cocktail-magazine in which many different cognac based cocktails/drinks were represented. I shall be doing more of them later in the coming weeks.

If you want to try something really extraordinary, give this one a try. It is definitely different :D

• 4 cl cognac (for a Vodka Nikolaschka use vodka instead)
• a thick slice of orange/lemon
• ~1 tsp instant coffee powder
• ~1 tsp fine caster sugar

Put the alcohol in a snifter/small tumbler. Layer the citrus slice on top with the coffee and sugar side by side. Now at this point you can still make a choice:

1. Drink the liquor and bite on the citrus
2. Bite on the citrus and then drink the liquor

I opted for the 2nd one. Also, I prefered the cognac-based shooter way better. Or then the vodka needs to be properly chilled, which in this case wasn't. Nonetheless, in case you really want to surprise your guests with an after-dinner "cocktail", try this one! :D

Cafe Nero

CAFE NERO

Hot Stuff!

Hey everyone! Here's a coffee-based cocktail a customer (while back) ordered from me! At that point, I had no idea what the hell it was so the kind (wo)man showed me how to make one! In hindsight, I would make this drink into a much smaller champagne flute/glass so the proportional amount of Galliano would be much higher. Nonetheless, here's how to make a Cafe Nero.

• 4 cl Galliano (vanilla)
• sugar + citrus wedge (for coating the inner glass)
• coffee
• loosely whipped cream
• vanilla / nutmeg / essential oils from an orange as garnish
• some fire (remember safety!)

First things first, prewarm the glass. Dump the hot water and with the help of the citrus wedge, coat the inside rim of the glass. Pour some sugar on it to create a nice sugary rim.  Add in the galliano and set it on fire. Let the flames caramelize the sugar a bit, after which pour in the coffee. Layer some cream on top and garnish.

As I mentioned in the beginning, since I used a much higher volume glass to make this one, taste-wise it had gentle vanilla notes to it and I liked its smoothness. Moreover, this drink can easily be twisted by using another alcohol and garnish appropriately. 

The Sazerac

THE SAZERAC

Evening everyone! Today...it finally happened. I made the Sazerac. This has been one of the cocktails on my forever "to-do" list because of one ingredient that is extremely hard to acquire. Oh yes...yes indeed, and I'm talking about the Peychaud's Bitters. Halleluja that one friend-colleague of mine managed to fetch me one bottle so the time had come to make this beauty.

This version is the IBA one. This drink's history is rather intriguing and to make a long story short, you could make this two ways by choosing your main ingredient; cognac or rye (whiskey). I tried it with cognac (it being the "original" one before rye came along):

The recipe is quite straightforward and follows the IBA instructions:

• 5 cl cognac (I used Meukow VSOP)
• 2 ds Peychaud's bitters
• 1 sugar cube (okay I used 1 tsp of simple syrup because I didn't have a single (!) cube at home)
• ~1 cl absinthe (quality-wise not a big difference, read further why)
• a lemon peel (just the oils)
• a frozen (small) OF glass

Start by having your glass extremely cold ie. in the freezer. Give the three first ingredients a good long stir. Before straining it though, rinse the inside of your now cold glass with a small amount of absinthe. Then, discard the liquid (absinthe). Now strain your drink into your OF glass. Press the lemon zest oils over the drink but don't garnish it. Serve.

With a fresh nose to it, the Sazerac is sophisticated, strong, herbal, sweet-ish and just damn delicious! Can't wait to try it with the rye and see which one reigns supreme!

I got to say, this drink doesn't look like much but you know how they say, less is more? My initial opinion of this drink is that it kicks ass, big time.

Mint Julep

MINT JULEP

The official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby

Greetings everyone! Today I'll present you an old-time classic from the ancient times when Romans ruled the world. Well not quite, but nonetheless, this is one of the greatest cocktail I've had and I can easily recommend this drink for anyone. It's a stiff drink I admit but after the first sip I fell in love with it. I present you the Mint Julep.

To make a long story short, this is the cocktail served in the annual Kentucky Derby. It's a bourbon based cocktail and here's how you make one:

• 4-5 mint leaves or ~10 if they're smaller in size
• ~2 tea spoons of sugar
• 6 cl bourbon
• crushed ice
• a mint sprig for garnish

First, take the mint leaves, slam them against your palm and drop them in the glass. For perfectionists traditionalists out there, there's a Julep Cup that is traditionally used in this cocktail. Made out of pewter or if feeling rich and fancy, silver. But since I don't have one (yet), I shall use one of my fancier tumblers.

So the mint is in the glass, add your (granulated) sugar and gently press the sugar and the mint to release more of the essential oils/aromas of the mint. Don't shred the mint, press it.

Add your favorite bourbon, stir a couple of times and then keep scooping that crushed ice. What you want is to get the cocktail freezingly cold after which you add more ice. When the glass gives your frostbites, it's cold enough. Then add another scoop of crushed ice on top and garnish with a mint sprig and preferably at least one straw. Sip and enjoy slowly, since this drink only has alcohol in it. 

I have to tell you, this drink earned its place in my all time favorite top3 cocktails! It is super refreshing and has a great taste of bourbon/mint in it. I can't believe I haven't drunk one before!

Love at first sight (not to mention how visually beautiful the cocktail is), no doubt about it!

Ginger Martini

GINGER MARTINI

Evening everyone! Here's a cocktail I picked up from a food&drink magazine while at the barber shop (I'm so fresh&clean right now). It also traces back (kinda) memories because the main ingredient here is Xanté, a pear-cognac liqueur. The thing is, for a long long time I looked Xanté down for one (vain) reason. It was my...25th (?) birthday and a friend of mine asked what I wanted. I told him to get me a glass of Amaretto (I love that stuff). As the story goes, they didn't have any (!) at the bar so my friend asked the bartender to give something "similar". So what I got was Xanté. Nope, not an overly-sweet (mild) almondy liqueur but a strong pear-cocgnac one. At the time I couldn't drink it.

Ever since that I felt Xanté was a bad product. Yes, I was young and didn't know better (and to be honest the ideology behind my hatred was simply immature) but...last year I found out how horribly wrong I've been all these years. A few days ago I tried Xanté with hot chocolate, it worked! The possibilites are endless but only my stubbornness was getting in the way.

So today I grabbed the bull by the horns and this is what we have; the Ginger Martini (yea it's technically not a martini since it doesn't have vermouth in it. Hey I didn't come up with the name :D)

• 4 cl Xanté
• 2 table spoons of sugar
• juice from ½ a lemon
• ~1 cm piece of fresh ginger

Put everything in a shaker, muddle the ginger properly, add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a piece of ginger (as seen on the picture).

I got to say, this is one great cocktail! I can taste each ingredient individually, the lemon, spiky ginger and notes of pear! Yummy! This cocktail has that ZING! It's a super fresh cocktail!

All in all, the Ginger Martini has won my heart. It's a good cocktail.

Caipirinha

CAIPIRINHA

Caipirinha in 2013

Caipirinha in 2016, pretty much exactly three years later

It all started in the summer, 2009, when I made this drink. Well, not per se, back then I made a Caipiroska where I substituted the Pitú needed to make this for vodka.

Almost four years after I now made the "original" version, the Caipirinha. Still as simple as ever, all you need is (love):

• 5 cl of Pitú (cachacha) (2016 version was Ypioca)
• ½ a lime, quartered + a wedge for garnish
• 2 - 2½ tea spoons of granulated cane sugar

Muddle the sugar, half a lime (which has been quartered) and the cachaca in a tumbler. Add some ice and in a churning kind-of-motion mix the ingredients. Add more ice if needed. Finally, stick a few straws and if you want to decorate your drink, a lime wedge will do the trick.

That's it! I really enjoyed the sweet-sour taste this cocktail has and the Pitú's distinctive flavor gives quite the edge to it! This is a good summer drink or better yet a small party drink, if you mind the work.

Editor's Note 2016:

This cocktail is the shit! After a proper Caipirinha a vodka-based -roska will never substitute this beauty! The perfect summer time's drink!

The Lemon Drop

The Lemon Drop

After a day break from cocktails (I was donating blood today so I can't have any alcohol the previous day) I  continue my work of cocktails with a drink that (supposedly) is rather (in)famous in the States. At least this is the picture I had when I first read about it. The recipe I used now could probably be tweaked into perfection; I found this cocktail to be mediocre...It...just didn't cut my top cocktail's list.

• 5 cl (Citron) flavored vodka
• 2 cl lemon juice
• 1 tea spoon granulated sugar

Combine these ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake this cocktail longer than usually (because of the sugar that needs to be dissolved). (double)strain into a chilled cocktail glass and decorate with a lemon twist.

As said earlier, I can't really tell what's the "big deal" (if any) about this cocktail. Apparently this is supposed to taste like lemon drop candies, but...this wasn't really that good of a drink overall.

Classic Champange Cocktail

Classic Champagne Cocktail

It is time for a Monday after-work cocktail! The Classic Champagne Cocktail (CCC...okay I made that one up).

I admit I especially bought two champagne flutes in order to create this cocktail. Although I'm bigger fan of those "old fashioned champagne saucers", these kind of flutes are good for champagne cocktail making (and others too, as far as I know). Moreover, a tall flute is better at keeping the bubbles in the drink whereas the saucer's wideness releases those bubbles quicker.

But what is a classic champagne cocktail then? How does it differ from a "regular" champagne cocktail? One thing, for that matter. The cognac. A champagne cocktail consists of angostura bitters, one sugar cube and champagne (sparkling wine), a classic is made as follows:

• 30 ml cognac
• 1 sugar cube
• angostura bitters
• champagne to top off (or sparking wine like I did, preferrably brut [dry])
• a lemon twist for garnish

First pour in the cognac in the flute. Then add your champagne but leave some space for the sugar cube (it will make the cocktail foam a bit). Now here have some options how to soak our sugar cube in angostura. Some like to use a napkin and put the cube on it, add the angostura, wait a while and then drop it in the cocktail but you can also use this:

Hold the cube tightly on top of the angostura bottle and turn it once or twice to fully soak it. Remember to have a large enough cube to cover the whole bottle! (mine spilled a little bit). Then take the cube and drop it in the drink. The cocktail will foam but as you can see from the picture it looks very beautiful! Use a long lemon twist to garnish your master piece (cut the zest near the glass so the essential oils will spray to your drink) and there you have it, the 

Classic Champagne Cocktail. For any special occasion.

I liked this cocktail very much. The cognac rounded the sparking wine's taste perfectly + I especially liked how the dissolving sugar cube made the cocktail sweeter to the end!

Boston Sour

BOSTON SOUR

Boston Sour, volume I

Boston Sour, volume II

Well met! I've had a rough day at work today so after I got home I thought of whipping myself a nice cocktail. Which I did. Hence, the Boston Sour. I've always thought that this was the Whiskey Sour but in fact the Whiskey Sour does not have egg white in it and this does. Otherwise the Sour is a very simple cocktail (yet extremely elegant) which can be made different with almost any spirit.

• 5 cl Whiskey (bourbon) (I used Jim Beam, I find it an extremely good whiskey for cocktails)
• 2,5 cl lemon juice (½ a lemon)
• 2,5 cl sugar syrup OR 2 tsp caster sugar
• 4 drops of Angostura bitters
• 1 egg white

First things first, separate the egg yolk from the white. In a cocktail glass, combine the egg white plus all of the other ingredients, add a lot of ice and remember to shake like you've never shaked before! (because of the egg white).

Take a old fashioned - glass (tumbler), fill it with ice cubes and strain the cocktail mixture in the glass. Now take a strip of lemon peel and twist the essential oils into the drink and use the peel as a decoration. The egg white creates a nice foam as shown in the picture. Also different from the non-egg version, this drink has much more build.

A perfect Boston Sour.

Post Edit:

I have been informed with crucial information regarding this cocktail. Remember boys and girls to dry shake all of the ingredients first, this is to ensure that the egg white incorporates with the other ingredientsand that it gets a nice frothy texture. Then add ice and shake again.

Campari Orange Passion

CAMPARI ORANGE PASSION

Beauty in a glass! This is a variation of the basic Campari & OJ I found from their site. For my taste, Campari & oj is a bit too bitter, given it works as a nice aperatif. This recipe has a sweetness in it and I did like this so much more, although creating it takes more time. But it is worth it:

• 2 slices of orange (or wedges)
• 1 tsp of brown sugar
• 4 cl Campari
• 12 cl orange juice
• crushed ice
• a maraschino cherry to garnish

Take the orange slices and drop them in the high ball glass. Add the sugar and muddle gently. Then add the crushed ice, campari and orange juice and give it a gentle stir. Top it off with a bit more ice and top this cocktail with a cherry and a straw.

Now that summer is close(r) by, having one of these babies outside...wonderful.

Pineapple Tequila

PINEAPPLE TEQUILA

As promised, the Pineapple Tequila! I had a little "accident" with my first bottle, that is when I put it (=forgot) in the oven for a disinfection I ended up with a melt cap as seen in the picture:

Yeah, that sucked majorly and to add insult to injury, this happened during Easter so I couldn't even get myself another bottle! After the holidays I got TWO bottles and instead of using the oven I just washed them in hot water and let to cool off.

After this procedure I used a coffee filter to strain the excess vanilla seeds off the liquid...

...and double strained it afterwards to get a clearer product.

What do you know, it turned out OKAY!

Here I let my inspiration flow freely; silver tequila is usually drunk with lemon + salt, golden tequila with orange + cinnamon so how could one have this? I got an idea...

...a slice of grapefruit + vanilla sugar!

It was awesome. Scent was extremely pineapple-y and taste-wise I could clearly taste the flavors of this fruit. Combined with the sweet/sourness from the grapefruit and sugar...

'Nuff said.

Irish Coffee

IRISH COFFEE

2011

2013

2015

Here it is, the famous Irish Coffee. I admit right away, I did this cocktail wrong; I did whip the cream a bit, according to the original recipe heavy cream is indeed used, but it is not whipped per se. Plus I didn't have the Irish Coffee glass either...(editor's note; now I do!:D) Yeah and the chocolate flakes were extra, but I think it gave the drink a nice touch. Well now that we're at it, adaptability with even cocktails is okay, right? Right? :)

Not being the biggest coffee (in cocktails) kind of guy, I gave this all time classic a go and managed to pull a decent cocktail. Ingredients as follows:

• 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• 4cl Irish whiskey
• 8cl hot coffee
• fresh cream

Add the brown sugar in the bottom of the glass (remember to heat up the glass before!), add the whiskey + coffee and stir. Float the cream on top of the drink with the help of a spoon. Serve immediately.

Personally, as mentioned before I can't say this is a truly amazing cocktail. Lies all lies! During the past year or so I've come to appreciate this cocktail so much more!

But I could now do understand its effect on a cold winter's night with good friends with good music in the background. That said, the next time I would make this...definitely for friends.

Caipiroska

THE CAIPIROSKA

How everything started! I can't remember it like yesterday, but I do know it was the 23rd of June, 2009. I specially prepared four caipiroskas for me & my friends. At the time I didn't have Cachaça to make a caipirinha so I used regular vodka. In my opinion I made a pretty good job for a first timer!

So the caipiroska contains:

• ½ a lime cut in 4 wedges
• 2 teaspoons of (brown) sugar
• 5cl vodka

Put the lime wedges in a tumbler, add the sugar and muddle. Add the vodka, stir gently and pour crushed ice on it. Stir again. Done!

This cocktail is easy to make and tastes brilliant! As mentioned, the caipirinha is the "original" cocktail and like many other cocktails, this masterpiece can be easily modified as well by changing the alcohol to something else. But if you ever happen to get your hands to some Pitú, totally try to make one of these babies!

A true classic this cocktail is.