The Airmail cocktail is a beautiful bridge between the worlds of the Daiquiri and champagne, and it is a criminally underrated drink.
Tag: David Wondrich
No one really knows who invented the Martinez. Big shock there. Some say it’s named for a guy called Martinez who whipped together some gin and vermouth. Others credit it to the Granddaddy of all things bartending, the Professor Jerry Thomas who created it for a fella who travelled to Martinez, California every day.
As a former English professor, I can admire this passage for being terse without fading into dullness. As a cocktail fiend, however, it leaves me unsatisfied. What did they order? Martinis? Scotch Highballs? Pink Ladies for the mugs and straight rye for the others? I want to know. I think it makes a difference.
As with any yarn involving the demon drink, an accurate account of Punch’s early life has long been washed away by the high tides of merriment and low tides of memory loss paired with the debilitating affects of hard living. Despite it’s sketchy past, interest in the lost art of Punch making is returning to bars the world over. Coupled with and authoritative work on the subject by drinks historian David Wondrich and you mightn’t be wrong in assuming that Punch is seeing a full blown comeback.
Bartender magazine is proud as punch to announce that Dave Wondrich is coming to Sydney in 2011 as the very special, international guest of Sydney BarShow Week. “As far as I’m concerned, Sydney BarShow Week is the social event of the fall season,” said Wondrich once his trip downunder had been confirmed.
Over September Australia was graced by the presence of the world’s foremost cocktail historian David Wondrich – the author of Imbibe! Mixxit organised two invite only sessions for lucky trade guests in both Sydney and Melbourne.
What is the one beverage that sells you cases of stock over a busy weekend? You know, the one that makes the owners money, keeps suppliers on-side and furnishes thirsty punters with a cooling beverage. Some may call it the ‘vodka, lime & soda’, others – if they’re going to be tricky about it – may call it a Vodka Rickey.
The Daisy is a much maligned and misunderstood drink classification. Is it a Sour? Isn’t it a Fix? Perhaps it’s a Collins of sorts or a Fizz?
A real highlight of this year’s ‘Tales of the Cocktail’ was Dave Wondrich’s take on the History of the Modern American Saloon. Previously, the only time I had been significantly injected with such important perspective was after reading the first ‘Mixologist Journal’ when I truly discovered what could be called the origin of the species; the Punch.