Weekend Cocktail Reading 17-Dec-2010

Imbibe Unfiltered Christmas Countdown

Keep an eye on Imbibe's blog for the next 8 days. The first two days of their 10-day Christmas Countdown covered Mexican Drinking Chocolate (if you've never had it, it's worth a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico) and tips on buying a punch bowl.

60/30, #31-32: Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks

The Cocktail Chronicles dives into Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks (London, 1869) and makes modern variations of the 'Tween Deck Cup and Cider Cup a la Ensor, No. 4. Both require some hard to find and/or hard to make ingredients, but still an interesting read.

An Expert's Top 5 Cocktail Experiences of 2010

Derek Brown suggests that the Cocktail should have been Time's Person of the Year (that definitely would have been a more inspired choice than Zuckerberg!). Brown also lists his five best cocktail experiences of 2010. Happy to see a that a Sazerac in New Orleans made the list. 

Spiced rum heats up as temperatures fall

Heavy, spicy drinks are very tasty when it gets cold outside, and that even includes spiced rum (if you can find one with real spices, sorry Capt. Morgan). This story by Camper English for the San Francisco Chronicle includes suggestions and a recipe.

Pimento Whaa?

Whether you call it Pimento Dram or Allspice Dram, this mixture of pimento (or allspice) and rum was popular just after prohibition and may be making it's resurgence. The Backyard Bartender explains and shares a recipe for The Lion's Tail. Let us know if you pick up a bottle.