The Cosmopolitan

There’s a cocktail for every mood and moment, says John Burns, our man at the bar

Illustration by Ryan Mitson.

To me, cocktails are mood on ice. They elevate a moment, enhance life. They’re the pocket squares of gastronomy, the clever patterned socks that tie it all together and keep the same old interesting. In that way, they distill our best selves.

When I travel, I always treat myself to an interesting bar off in some neighbourhood (thanks for the research, city magazines!) and in preparation, run through the questions. What will I wear? What time of day will I visit? And, of course, what will I order? The whole sums to this: For these precious minutes, who will I be? Cary Grant? Steve McQueen? (Hey, don’t laugh at other people’s self-delusions.)

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Seaforth Swizzle

The Seaforth Swizzle. Jennifer Gauthier photo

Named for the park located across from the armoury on the edge of Kitsilano, the Seaforth Swizzle is “a super bright and refreshing drink,” says its creator, Kevin Brownlee, bar manager at AnnaLena. You can purchase velvet falernum at The Modern Bartender or Gourmet Warehouse, or make your own with the recipe below. To find Bucha Brew, visit buchabrew.ca for a list of retailers.

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Goddess of the Hunt

A decadent drink for wannabe immortals

INGREDIENTS:
0.75 oz Taboo Absinthe
0.75 oz Giffard White Chocolate Syrup
0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
Prosecco

METHOD:
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, shake with ice and strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top with prosecco.

—By Simon Ogden

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Fear not the fairy

Laying bare the legends and lore behind absinthe

Bar manager Simon Ogden draws off some absinthe from the fountain at the Veneto Tap Lounge in Victoria. Meghan Kirkpatrick photo.

“After the first glass, you see things as they are. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.” — Oscar Wilde

Absinthe, the fabled Green Fairy that ran amok through Paris at the height of the Belle Époque, remains the most polarizing spirit on the bar shelf.

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Bar excellence

The Rosewood Hotel Georgia may be 90 years old but with three spectacular, very different bar experiences, it sure knows how to entertain

When you check in to the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, there’s no real reason to leave until you check out. With spas, superb food and three of Vancouver’s leading bars inside its 90-year-old walls, this glamorous landmark accommodation is a highlight reel of local luxury, history and flavour.

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Mexican Firing Squad

The Mexican Firing Squad by Ryley Zucca. Dan Toulgoet photo.

Take aim at some great grenadine flavours

INGREDIENTS:
2 oz blanco tequila (or mezcal)
¾ oz grenadine*
¾ oz fresh lime juice
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash lime bitters
Splash of soda
Lime wheel, for garnish

METHOD:

Shake all the ingredients except soda with ice. Strain over fresh ice in a Collins glass. Top with soda and garnish with a lime wheel. Serves 1.

*La Mezcaleria’s grenadine: Place 1 cup pomegranate juice (fresh is best, but bottled 100-per-cent pomegranate juice will also work) in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for approximately 5 minutes. To preserve the bright, fresh flavour, do not boil or reduce the juice. Remove from the heat and add 1 cup sugar and a couple of dashes of orange flower water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. This will keep, refrigerated, in a clean glass jar for up to a week.

—by Ryley Zucca

Read more about the inspiration behind this cocktail. 

 

Searching for Margaritaville

Mastering this quintessential summer cocktail can be as difficult as tracking down its origins

“On the one hand, it’s hard to mess it up. But on the other hand, it’s hard to perfect,” says Ryley Zucca of La Mezcaleria about the Margarita. Dan Toulgoet photo.

It’s the taste of a perfect summer afternoon: that citrus bite, the peppery hit of tequila, the touch of salt like the spray of a random ocean wave.

We’re talking about the Margarita, of course; the quintessential summer cocktail that holds a mysterious past. When it comes to this particular dame’s history, no one really knows what the truth is.

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Impeached Iced Tea

The Impeached Iced Tea cocktail created by Mamie Taylor’s owner Ron Oliver and lead bartender Scotty Marshall for Canada 150. Mamie Taylor’s photo

Mamie Taylor’s owner Ron Oliver and lead bartender Scotty Marshall will be serving this spiked tea on July 1 at their eighth annual RibFest competition.

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 oz (30 mL) Old Camp Peach Pecan Whiskey
• 0.5 oz (15 mL) Lillet Blanc
• 0.5 oz (15 mL) Canadian whisky
• 3 oz (90 mL) unsweetened iced tea (any black tea will do)
Garnish: Okanagan peach slices

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