Episode 31 - It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

"It was a dark and stormy night..."  Do you remember that?  Snoopy and his typewriter?  Well, old Snoop was definitely on to something, because we're going to have a dark and stormy night tonight and so are you!  It's all thanks to a wonderful book called “Brooklyn Bartender - A Modern Guide to Cocktails and Spirits” by Carey Jones. Buy a copy of it right here!  It’s chock full of great recipes and great stories from all sorts of bars in “the world’s hippest borough”.

In this episode, we’re keeping things simple at first and then kicking that same drink up a notch.  Not many drinks are simpler than a highball, and this one is no exception.  All you need is Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and ginger beer.

Dark and Stormy

2 ounces Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
4 ounces ginger beer
lime wedge

In a collins glass with ice stir together rum and ginger beer. Squeeze in a lime wedge.

Mmmmmm! Tasty!

Isn't that wonderful? Like a rum and Coke, but much more exotic thanks to the ginger beer. Get the hottest ginger beer you can find.  We used Cock and Bull which is great, but I would really like to try this with the ginger ale that David Wondrich recommends which is called Blenheim Ginger Ale.  Check it out here.  If you like ginger beer, you have got to try this stuff!  You want Old # 3 Hot.  The one with the red cap

Next up is the Extra-Ginger Dark and Stormy.  This is basically the same drink as above but now it's plussed with a little bit of extra work from you.  Don't worry, it's super easy.  You just have to do a bit of ginger juicing.

Extra-Ginger Dark and Stormy

 2 ounces Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
1 ounce lime juice
3/4 ounce ginger syrup (recipe to follow)
2 ounces club soda

Combine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a collins glass with fresh ice. Top with club soda and garnish with the lime wedge.

Ginger Syrup recipe
one whole hand of fresh ginger
white sugar

Juice the ginger using a juicer or in a food processor or blender (if blending, add a little bit of water). Measure your amount of ginger juice, then add that same amount of water. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved.  You can store this in the fridge for up to a month.

Holy doodlebugs! Now there’s a drink!  Should be called the Darker and Stormier. Who knows? Maybe it is.  Great big shot of ginger; lime all up in your everywhere.  Sweet, tart, crisp and incredibly drinkable.  Go make one now!  Sure it's a little more work, but it's worth it. 
 
A couple of weeks ago, Jason ended up at Canon: Whiskey & Bitters Emporium in Seattle and thought it was absolutely fabulous!  If you've never heard of the place, check out the video below.

Amen to that! Printed in the cocktail menu from Canon.

Jason had a drink called Elementary which was made with bourbon, tawny port, cream sherry, rhubarb shrub, and  Boker's bitters.  The "smoke" is liquid nitrogen!

Oh!    We also talked about the Bali Hai in San Diego and their delicious Chicken of the Gods.  You too can make it by following one of these recipes.

Until next time, keep on puffin'!

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