The Queen's Flip for a rainy Monday

Frequently at The Pad (thepad.us), we drink to the health of the Queen. Actually, we drink to her health about hourly. Which lead us to send her a postcard, actually -- but that's a different story.

Tonight at Forbidden Island, I'm sharing a flip that has been a favorite at The Pad - a cocktail that I've come to call The Queen's Flip - I like them so much that I'd like to keep drinking them, and keep toasting to her health as often as possible. Even more than once an hour!

The flip is made with fresh egg and a premium bourbon. We alternate between the Black Maple Hill Small Batch Bourbon and George Dickel Barrel Select. The addition of fig and blackberry preserves, honey, St. George Absinthe and St. George Aqua Perfecta Raspberry Liqueur makes for one delight of a cocktail.

Join me and Lee Williams this evening at Forbidden Island, as we, Sirens of Mixology, offer up this rich new enchantment, as well as Lee's latest, the Chipotle Margaritayeyayeyaye - featuring the unapologetic St. George Spirits/Hangar One Chipoltle Vodka and their amazing Qi White liqueur.

We'll see YOU there! 5pm!

-- Suzanne

Historic Tuning Temperaments and Classic Cocktails

Interesting thought about cocktails today. Part of the reason that classic and historic cocktails call me is for their history - for the same reason that early music called me. Doing tiki tropicals properly and doing classic and prohibition-era cocktails properly is about taking them on their own terms - understanding them in context. Understanding what they ACTUALLY TASTED like and what the fuss was all about - and recreating them using those tools to recreate the experience. It is precisely the same thing as stringing with gut strings, playing a theorbo, or using a pre-equal temperament tuning. To hear Lully played on period instruments, at the correct pitch and temperament, and with period phrasing is a powerful time machine, as passionate as can be imagined. To taste an Aviation or (other historic classic) with just the perfect measure of violette and maraschino, and the correct sort of gin, will take an interesting and new-to-you cocktail to the WOW place. Lully played by a Wagnerian orchestra just is not the same experience.

It is also important to remember that these things, while taking their lead from understanding their beginnings, can also take on a life of their own. In order to fully understand how to create cocktails based on classics, one must first understand the classics themselves. We have people like Dale DeGroff and Jeff Beachbum Berry to thank for laying the groundwork of our understanding - many tedious long years of tasting questionable experiments have lent themselves to a publishable history - one that I personally am very thankful for! Cocktail innovation is everywhere, and there are many methods to approach such endeavors, but starting with understanding their history and construction, in my approach, is key. One can create a glorious thing by taking a good Aviation, adding a passionate amount of *this* or *that,* and a new cocktail is born. It won't be an Aviation, but some of your most treasured classics have begun this way.

Raise a glass! I'll see YOU there!

-- Suzanne

Tiki... Daleks?

Sometimes, being a geek and loving cocktails works out as a pretty awesome thing. Saw a link today from Tiki Talk about the winning masquerade costume at Gallifrey One, the North American Dr. Who Convention. Apparently, it was made out of grass skirts, coconuts, and other tiki fabulousness.

If that doesn't deserve an honorary cocktail, what does?

Come on over to Forbidden Island tonight, and try the Tiki Dalek yourself... or get Ex-ti-ki-nated!

I'll see YOU at the Island!

--Suzanne

My last Monday until January!

Come and see me tonight! This is my last Monday doing Black Orchid Sessions until January, and I'm featuring a brand new cocktail - Rapture - a basil gimlet with St. George Absinthe. It is rapturous indeed.

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

--Suzanne

Last week's sea of cards, and today's Voodoo

Adventurers who have heard the call of the Pearl were able to gather a sea of cards last week, and those who brought their twelve-sided die even more... and delicious cocktails accompanied them all! Here are some wonderful photos of some of those mysterious wild card cocktails, by the very talented Gabriel Hurley and Paul McMillan of Zero Coordinate, Inc.

Havana:


The Treasure Chest:



Tradewinds:



Harbor Lights:



Come in and try tonight's special, VOODOO:

This witch doctor’s potent potion of rich homemade pomegranate grenadine,
mind-erasing rums, tart citrus and unspeakable spices will haunt you
...like Robert Drasnin’s première exotica album.

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

--Suzanne

Week Ten -double digit awesomeness

This will a brief post, as I have to go make it all happen, but I simply *must* tell all of you about tonight… off the hook doesn’t begin to describe the fun in store.  If you play your cards right (I’m not even going to apologize for the pun!), you’ll be able to head home tonight with five (yes I said it, FIVE) cards tonight.  Glorious cocktails are there to be had!  Fun with dice and cards!  Bring that useful garnish from a few weeks back!  You’ll be glad you did!

Peppercorns from last week?  Yes!

Cards from last week?  Yes!

A cocktail called Tradewinds?  Yes!

A cocktail called Harbor Lights?  Yes!

A taste of old Havana….  oh yes, baby, yes!

and MORE!

I’ll see YOU at the Island!

--Suzanne

Misirlou!

Printers be damned, you can’t stop this game!

For those of you who were unable to collect your cards yesterday evening, please accept my sincere apologies.  Below you will find the card for last night’s cocktail, Misirlou:

Note the web address:  SeeminglyUnrelatedToThePearl.blogspot.com

You may also be interested in the puzzle piece on the back side of the card:

And what’s a Black Orchid Club blog post without the sweet, lilting tunes of the cocktails we sip?  Take an audio taste of the glorious sounds of Arthur Lyman and his Misirlou:

Game cards for week 9 will be available for you to pick up next week.  In addition, the wild card and cocktail from the puzzle above will be available… take into consideration all of your small cards and how they may work together.  You will probably want to bring all of your cards and effects (including some of that special, non-edible garnish) into Forbidden Island on Wednesday evening.  Having all of your playing pieces will you on Wednesday, September 8th *may* earn you special privileges… and it will make the game more fun!

I’ll see YOU, Wednesday September 8th with all of your collected game pieces, at the Island!

Oh, and the peppercorn cocktail will be available too.  It will be worth the wait.  I promise.

--Suzanne