Have you experienced SESSIONS lately?

Have YOU tried a SESSIONS cocktail lately?

If you haven't - today is certainly the day to do so. If you HAVE - well, then today is one not to miss, since I have something spectacular for you to try. My special ingredient is a flambeed rum cordial, which you simply have to taste to believe. It came about as an 11th hour fix while creating the Mystery Bowl at Ohana, Luau at the Lake this year - we needed something to fix the flavor of the cocktail, and in a moment of MacGyver inspiration, I decided to flambe the Appleton Estate Reserve with the only sugar we had on hand... about 300 single serving C&H sugar packets. Here are a few photos of me playing with fire in Lake George:










The result was fantastic, and I love it so much that I've created a special cocktail featuring it, which I'll be serving tonight (with a smoked glass, punt e mes, and fresh lime juice), and I feel it is fully worthy of a few sessions cocktails too! C'mon over and try the cordial for yourself, and let's create some spectacular Black Orchid Sessions cocktails together!

As always, it's also HAPPY HOUR all night long, so come and see me!

I'll see YOU, TONIGHT, at 5pm at the Island!

--Suzanne

Photos from Black Orchid Sessions, June 14, 2010

Just wanted to share some exquisite photos of Black Orchid Sessions this past Monday. All photos by Paul McMillan of Zero Coordinate, Inc.


Flambe of brown sugar and pineapple for a Sessions cocktail. This one was created for Sessions Bookholder Dave Hildebrandt:




The completed flambeed cocktail:


Me, preparing Pineapple Rhubarb Mojitos with the fresh rhubarb syrup and Cruzan rum:


Garnishing the mojitos:



Completed Pineapple Rhubarb Mojitos:



Thanks, Paul, for these lovely photos!

More photos and information about Monday nights and Black Orchid Sessions is available at http://www.facebook.com/forbiddenisland and http://www.forbiddenislandalameda.com/

More info about Zero Coordinate and all the awesome things they do at: http://zerocoordinate.com/


I'll see YOU at the Island!

--Suzanne

Rhubarb!!!

Summer is here, and summer to me means surf music, the top down on the car, trips to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to ride the Giant Dipper, Hukilau, Ohana, and Tiki Oasis... and RHUBARB. This summer veggie is one of my favorites for pies! Tonight I've made a glorious syrup from fresh rhubarb and pure cane sugar, and it's going into a killer cocktail... my Pineapple Rhubarb Mojito. Fresh mint, fresh pineapple, fresh lime all muddled with this beautiful red rhubarb syrup and rum... you won't be able to stop drinking them.

I hope I can. (hiccup!) So I can at least get to FI and make you one!

TONIGHT. 5pm. Remember, there's Happy Hour all night long too! And it's a gorgeous afternoon to sit on the patio. Come by!

I'll see YOU at the Island!

--Suzanne

Sunny Sunday... Sunny MONDAY!

It's another stunning sunny day, and I'm gearing up for Pearl's Kitchen, the corned beef street vendor who brings Grandma's Jewish Kitchen to the Street. At 4pm we'll have hand made corned beef sandwiches and brunch cocktails... who could possibly ask for anything more?

... you can?

Ok, then, you've got me. I guess you'll just have to come by TOMORROW, on MONDAY, to experience the kickoff of Forbidden Island Mondays. That's right, starting tomorrow, May 24th, FI will officially be open 7 days a week. And Monday evenings are certainly not to be missed. Yours truly will be behind the stick, and we'll have HAPPY HOUR all night long, a SPECIAL MONDAY NIGHT ONLY MENU, and the continuation of BLACK ORCHID SESSIONS, all for your imbibing pleasure. Take a peek at the menu:


and tomorrow's special ingredient is my Gazpacho Water, with tomato, cucumber, basil and dill, and the cocktail with it will simply blow you away.

I'll see YOU, this afternoon and TOMORROW, at the Island!

--Suzanne

What a recap! PDX Cocktail Camp! Sessions XII and more!

Wow, has it been an AWESOME few weeks. Amazing things have been happening at Forbidden Island, with Black Orchid Sessions, and in my other adventures, and so much exciting stuff if coming up that it nearly warrants three or four blog posts. But, you're getting it all, right here, right now!

I recently returned from Portland, OR for the first ever CocktailCamp, an awesome all day event put on by Kenn Wilson (of Cocktailia.com), and Aaron Jorbin (http://twitter.com/aaronjorbin). The event took place at the New Deal Distillery, where seminars were programmed all day with break-out sessions available. This was a wonderful event! I spoke as part of a panel of professional mixologists and bartenders (Jacob Grier, of Branch Whiskey Bar, Portland; Ricky Gomez, of Teardrop Lounge, Portland; Mindy Cook, of Toro Bravo, Portland; Elizabeth Markham, of Beaker & Flask, Portland, and myself, of Forbidden Island, natch) fielding questions from the audience. It was a treat to meet some of these clearly very talented and innovative folks, and I was really pleased to be there. There was also a just phenomenal triple presentation on tiki topics (Rum, Gum, and Lime) by the illustrious tiki trio Craig “Colonel Tiki” Hermann, Blair “Trader Tiki” Reynolds and Matt “Rumdood” Robold. I highly recommend setting your sights on this for next year, if you want to plan a trip to the City of Roses.

My trip was further highlighted by a visit (actually two visits!) to Clyde Common (fabulous food and excellent cocktails), and Thatch. I was very impressed with the barrel aging they're experimenting with in cocktails at Clyde Common (Barrel-Aged Negroni - what a brilliant idea - not too dissimilar to the aged rum barrels available by request at the Mai Kai), and I really enjoyed the One-Trick Pony made with a house-made tonic water. Good stuff. And Thatch.... WOW. Let's just say that some top secret, top shelf, amazing things appeared. While we weren't paying attention. And we don't remember any of it. At all.

The Oregonian ran a nice story about CocktailCamp and quoted me. Check it out:
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/04/thanks_to_a_growing_interest_i.html

In homefront news, on April 22nd we celebrated Forbidden Island's 4th anniversary... by rolling out a brand new, 20 cocktail addition to our menu! This addition focuses on Savoy-style classic cocktails, and innovations in the style. Let me tell you, there are some out-of-this-world cocktails to be had. You're going to love 'em. Take a peek at all the new potables at: http://www.forbiddenislandalameda.com/fi/menu/

What about Black Orchid SESSIONS, you are wondering? (It was loud. I could hear it. I know you're thirsty, and I know you want to know what this week's secret ingredient is, so here it comes...)

Flambeed Banana Coconut Curry.



Yep.

It is as amazing as it sounds! I am so excited about this mix, I can't begin to tell you. It is decadent, delicious, dangerous, and very, very, very drinkable. Just wait til you get your monkey hands on the cocktails for tomorrow evening. Fantastic! Gitarzan!

Also, stay tuned for Street Food Carts at Forbidden Island - this Sunday, May 2, we've got wood-fired pizza from the portable ovens of The Pizza Hacker.


...and very soon, Forbidden Island will be OPENING on MONDAY EVENINGS, with custom cocktails from yours truly, all night long.

You've heard the whispers. Start saving those Monday nights!

I'll see YOU at the Island!

--Suzanne

A handful of stunning Sessions photos

Gabriel Hurley, Paul McMillan and Shelby Keller Miller, of http://zerocoordinate.com/ took some amazing shots last Wednesday of Black Orchid Sessions cocktails, and I wanted to share these gorgeous shots with you:


The Mask of the Red Death.

A custom cocktail created during Sessions for Jen Erlichman. Her instructions: "Make me something really GOTH." This cocktail delivers, in amazing deliciousness... Prickly Pear Puree with fresh squeezed cranberry juice, sour cherry, rum and allspice. The presentation is the best part... set a 151 doused orchid aflame in the cocktail glass and allow to wilt, then pour this cocktail over.

Look for a video on YouTube soon with the entire show!


Neptune.

Another of our Sessions Bookholders, Dave Hildebrandt, has been requesting cocktails based on each of the planets in the solar system. This is Neptune, with custom made Black Orchid Orgeat, Leopold Brothers New York Sour Apple Liqueur, and Blue Curacao.


Flaming presentation during Black Orchid Sessions.




Three amazing shots of a custom bowl created on request for Sessions Bookholders... Sour Cherry, Mango and Demerara rum with cinnamon made this cocktail a huge hit!

Tonight at FI - DJ Tanoa spins 50s and 60s vinyl for your swingin' and jiving pleasure. Come cut a rug with me! I'd love to have a dance partner!

I'll see YOU at the Island!

--Suzanne

Sessions IV: Exotica Syrup

Just got back from an amazing weekend in Ft. Lauderdale... my good friend the Bargoyle (Michael Sullivan, from Connecticut), turned 40 this weekend and decided to have his 4-0 bash at the famous Mai Kai Restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale. The Mai Kai is my absolute favorite place on Earth... and the perfect Polynesian paradise. The Mai Kai IS everything that is Tiki. Unbelievable cocktails with secret recipes, being made the same since 1956; a bar with tikis and rain pouring down the windows, and serving maidens in micro-mini sarongs and bikini tops; a huge, dark and glorious dining room with a live Polynesian dinner show, and wonderful food from a Chinese oven; a stunning Lanai with streams and waterfalls and ancient tikis; all in the glorious tropical weather of Florida. It simply is the most amazing place on Earth.

The exciting thing is, I get to come home to another world famous and glorious Tiki lounge - Forbidden Island! While I was in Florida, I dreamed up some new cocktails with one of my exciting syrups, a bitter chocolate orange syrup called "Exotica." This syrup is... just... wow. Fresh from Florida, here they are:

Exotica

The tropical beach at sunset. The sound of distant drums and the call of the conch. Bird calls, exotic vibraphone, Latin percussion, strong cocktails. Perfect Mid-century escapism was encapsulated in sound by the father of this amazing musical genre, Martin Denny. This cocktail is in honor of him. (Bitter Chocolate with orange, a taste of strong coffee, several rums and citrus juices).

Strawberry-a-Go-Go

Dress your strawberries up in chocolate, and go, go-go girl! Fresh strawberries, chocolate and bitter orange muddled to pure perfection, then topped with champagne.

Join the growing ranks of Sessions Bookholders, with all of their custom designed recipes in a tiny composition book, sitting here on our shelves at Forbidden Island. At the end of Sessions, each Bookholder takes all of those recipes home to keep. Learn the art of excellent mixology! Become the one everyone invites to parties because you'll be behind the bar! Just a few Sessions and you'll have the tools to have a great time at home and at parties, plus a book full of unique and innovative recipes to share. I want you to have a good time with me at Forbidden Island, and at home in your home bar, creating new specialties.

Come and try the fabulous Exotica syrup! Also, it's the first Wednesday of the month, so it's time for Otto's Grotto... exotica tunes, surf, 60s grooves, and more. Special guest DJ Jab also makes an appearance tonight. Don't miss it!

I'll see YOU, TONIGHT, at the Island!

Sessions Week I - Thank you!

What a good time I had Wednesday for week I of Black Orchid Sessions! Thank you to everyone who sat down with me directly and worked with me to create those custom cocktails... there were a few that were really innovative and original, and that I definitely wouldn't have been able to dream up myself, but WOW, were they tasty! Mel Waldorf of Meshugga Beach Party asked me to see what I could do with the secret ingredient (an Organic Maple Syrup, Apple Cider and Cinnamon reduction) and his beloved Slivovitz... quite the challenge if you've ever tasted it! I came up with a cocktail with gin, the Slivovitz, the maple-apple reduction and some limoncello... amazingly delightful, and you couldn't even taste the Slivovitz! Just got a little bit of the plum notes with the lemon. I also created a bourbon based cocktail with Black Maple Hill bourbon, which was rich and wonderful, and several others with various different spirits. The true challenge of the evening, however, was when someone asked me to come up with something using Hangar One Chipotle Vodka and the maple apple reduction... something one would really NOT think would work. With the addition of grapefruit juice, campari, and Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters, we came up with a unique and fantastic cocktail. I can't wait to make another one!

For those of you not quite in the know, Black Orchid Sessions is a new, innovative and fun way to learn more about the art of Mixology by working with me directly at Forbidden Island to create custom cocktails. Each week, a focus ingredient will be announced (last week it was the apple-maple-cinnamon reduction, next week rose syrup; see a list of all the planned specialty ingredients below)... but here's the fun part: You come in, sit down with me, and get to taste the special ingredient of the week. After that, we'll talk about its characteristics, and how we can creatively use it in a brand new cocktail... you tell me what you like, what you feel like, and we'll put it together right there on the spot! You get a special little notebook to keep all of your custom created recipes in, and at the end of the Sessions, you can take it home and keep all of your recipes! Any questions you have about how to create a good cocktail, where to find ingredients, or anything similar - well, you've got my full attention during your session and the sky's the limit! In addition, if you like, I'll send you home with a small container of the special ingredient for the week, so you experiment in your home bar with creating new cocktails, based on what you learn in our Sessions. We want you to have a blast at home AND at FI with those new cocktailing skills you're learning.

Every week, there will be a new, unique ingredient to try... the possibilities for innovative Mixology are endless, and the possibility for fun even more so! Just like this week when I was challenged to create a cocktail with maple and Chipotle vodka and came up with something I'll likely be making in my home bar, (wish I had one right now as I type!), I'm positive some AMAZING cocktails will result from this drinking and mixing adventure. Ah! My mouth waters just thinking about it!

At the end of the six weeks, I'll put together a list of cocktails that were created in Sessions, and we'll have a contest for the best... the most original, the tastiest, barkeeps choice, and the one with the craziest name... and those cocktails will be featured on a special evening with YOUR name on the menu.

Need a little more delicious enticement? Here's a list of upcoming specialty ingredients:

Rose Syrup
Prickly Pear, Lemongrass and Citrus
Bitter Chocolate and Orange Peel
Orgeat (Almond), with a rum base
Pomegranate Honey
Black Orchid (French Vanilla and Black Tea with Sour Cherry)
...and perhaps even more!

Sound good? Well, don't miss it! Come and see me on Wednesday nights at Forbidden Island, 1304 Lincoln Ave in Alameda, CA, 5pm 'til Midnight. Remember your Black Orchid Club VIP cards are valid for 10% on your entire check Sunday through Wednesday (and it just so happens I work on all of those days), so bring your friends!

I'll see YOU at the Island!

--Suzanne

Photo Credit: Sparkling Future Cocktail. Photo by William Anzenberger Photography

Press release: BLACK ORCHID SESSIONS provide custom gourmet cocktails at Forbidden Island, Alameda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2010

Alameda, CA.
Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge announces Black Orchid Sessions

On February 10, 2010, Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge rolls out a unique cocktail experience... custom made cocktails, created on the spot based on customer requests. On the heels of her wildly successful Wednesday night cocktail series the Black Orchid Club, mixologist Suzanne Long is taking cocktail creation to an even higher level by inventing cocktails on the spot, using premium ingredients and the suggestions of the imbiber. Each week, a focus ingredient will be announced. Focus ingredients will include Suzanne Long's custom made cocktail syrups and liqueurs, and some specialty spirits. The focus ingredient will be used to create each guest's custom cocktail, and a special weekly specials menu will also be available.

"In my experience, creating an excellent custom cocktail is similar to a Jazz recording session," says Long. "Creating custom cocktails for my guests on the spot is something that I already do. I'm just opening the doors to the public so everyone can participate. With my custom made syrups, the premium spirits and fresh juices we have here at Forbidden Island, and your input about what you feel like tasting tonight, we can together create the perfect, exceptionally crafted cocktail - right here in front of you!"

Black Orchid Sessions will take place on Wednesday evenings at Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge, the very hip 1960s style tiki lounge in the heart of Alameda. More details about the Black Orchid Club and Black Orchid Sessions can be found on Suzanne Long's blog, Shakin' Rum and Pineapples - http://rumnpineapple.blogspot.com and at http://twitter.com/BlackOrchidClub.

WHERE: Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge, 1304 Lincoln, Alameda.
http://forbiddenislandalameda.com
http://twitter.com/BlackOrchidClub

WHEN: Wednesdays, 5PM-12AM beginning February, 10, 2010
CONTACT: Suzanne Long (manager), suzanne@forbiddenislandalameda.com
Michael Thanos (owner) info@forbiddenislandalameda.com
Will Viharo (publicist), will@forbiddenislandalameda.com