The mission of Ultimate Bar Chef is to provide bar chefs, or those aspiring to be, with information on only the highest quality products. These products are to include only premium spirits, mixers, garnishes, bar tools, glassware and services. We at Ultimate Bar Chef vow to promote and advertise only products that we believe to be of the ultimate quality. We believe in the use of premium spirits, fresh ingredients, and the highest quality products for cocktail preparation. At Ultimate Bar Chef, we are attempting to “raise the bar” for the professional bar chef as well as the home bar chef. From the ultimate spirit right down to the ultimate glassware, Ultimate Bar Chef is the one-stop Ultimate Bar stop.
Happy Tales!
Ultimate Bar Chef will be closed from July 15th through July 22nd to attend Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans (see www.talesofthecocktail.com). Unfortunately, we will not be able to ship any orders during this time. Cheers!
The Cocktail of the Month....
The Sazerac
The Sazerac...
2-1/2 oz. Rye Whiskey 1/4 oz. Herbsaint 2 each. White Sugar Cubes 3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters Splash of Water
Lemon Spiral - for garnish
Fill an Old Fashioned glass with ice and set aside. In a mixing glass, muddle sugar and bitters with a splash of water until sugar is dissolved. Dump the ice from the Old Fashioned glass and swirl the Herbsaint until the inside of the glass is completely coated. Dump the excess and set aside. Add the Rye Whiskey and ice to the muddled sugar, bitters and water. Shake well and strain into the Herbsaint prepared Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a lemon spiral.
An update on the incredible journey of Saving the Sazerac...
NEW ORLEANS GRANTED OFFICIAL COCKTAIL—
THE SAZERAC
JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION BY TOASTING THE ONLY CITY WITH ITS OWN OFFICIAL COCKTAIL ON WEDNESDAY JULY 16th AT 2PM
NEW ORLEANS – July 8, 2008-- Tales of the Cocktail, the most spirited event of the summer begins its five-day celebration of dining and drinking and the history of the cocktail in New Orleans with a toasting event at the Hotel Monteleone on Wednesday, July 16th at 2:00pm. Join Founder Ann Tuennerman, Senator Edwin Murray and House Representative Cedric Richmond as we honor the only city with its own official cocktail. The Sazerac Cocktail has been designated the Official Cocktail of the New Orleans.
WHO:
Senator Edwin Murray, House Representative Cedric Richmond, Founder of Tales of the Cocktail Ann Tuennerman and Tales of the Cocktails first brand ambassador Kevin Brauch, host of “The Thirsty Traveler”.
WHAT: Toasting New Orleans Official Cocktail, The Sazerac along with Tales of the Cocktail’s first cocktail ambassador Kevin Brauch, host of “The Thirsty Traveler”
Enjoy complimentary Sazeracs, the 2008 Cocktail Competition winner, the Punch and Judy created by Charlotte Voisey and Sazerac cupcakes created by Steve Himelfarb of Cake Café.
WHERE:
Hotel Monteleone, Riverview Room
214 Rue Royale
New Orleans, Louisiana
WHEN:
Wednesday July 16, 2008
2:00 P.M.
WHAT ELSE:
History of the Sazerac 19th century pharmacist Antoine Amedee Peychaud, who operated his apothecary on Royal Street in the French Quarter, invented the Sazerac in New Orleans. Peychaud, a refugee of the slave rebellions of St.-Domingue (which became the nation of Haiti), concocted his own special blend of aromatic bitters, added them to French Brandy, made by Sazerac des Forge et Fils of Limoges, France, along with a little Louisiana cane sugar. This classic libation, over the course of the 19th century has evolved into the drink we know today, the Sazerac, which is composed of rye whiskey, sugar, absinthe (or a substitute), and Peychaud's Bitters. Regardless of whether it was the world's "first" cocktail, the Sazerac is among the first, and likely the Sazerac is the first cocktail born in the Crescent City.
Upholding ongoing traditions that distinguish this part of the country hold Louisiana and New Orleans together. The Sazerac has always been a greeting to first-time visitors to the state as well as a familiar companion to lifetime residents. The Sazerac is History in a glass.
Tickets are on sale now for the most spirited event of the summer. Tales of the Cocktail takes place in the New Orleans French Quarter, July 16-20, 2008, and features five days of delicious events such as cocktail mixing demonstrations and tastings, food and drink seminars, dinner pairings, author meet and greets and more – all presented by the country’s hottest mixologists, bartenders, chefs and authors. Purchase individual tickets, day passes or packages for the largest gathering of cocktail experts in the country. Stay at the legendary Hotel Monteleone, event headquarters for a full-bodied Tales of the Cocktail experience. Book tickets and hotel rooms at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com<http://www.talesofthecocktail.com/> .
Michael Brewer is not a bar chef at all… in fact, he is the current “Liquid Asset Manager” at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans where he oversees the award wining wine list but he has been know to make a tasty libation or two. Mike started his career in 1984 as a barback in Mobile AL and worked his way up to his first bartending gig at “The Blue Jay Lounge” where the drink of the day was “Jack with a beer back.”
After graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering, Mike opened his first restaurant in Mobile. Mike moved to New Orleans in 1999 where he was VP of an engineering firm by day and Captain and Assistant Cellar Master at world famous Brennan’s Restaurant by night. Two weeks prior to Hurricane Katrina, Mike moved to Hawaii to be Maitre d’ on a cruise ship. Four months later he moved back to New Orleans to open the highly acclaimed restaurant “Jackson” as Executive Chef and General Manager.
Mike and “Jackson” were invited to participate in Tales of the Cocktail 2006 and after a hard night of tequila shots, the first place “Baja Martini” was born. After that, as they say, “it was on like donkey kong!” Mike was featured in several local and regional publications and voted “Best New Restaurant” in New Orleans 2006. He left Jackson in 2007 and joined the Commander’s Palace team where he assisted Absolut with cocktail recipes for the Absolut New Orleans launch. He was also selected to attend the Grand Marnier/Navan Mixology Summit 2008.
Mike’s current project, and opening in late August, is his restaurant “Tortuga” and “The 5 O’clock Bar” featuring his unique twist on Mexiribbean cuisine blended with tiki drinks and tequila cocktails. If you’re in New Orleans, look him up and stop by “Tortuga” where it’s always 5 O’clock.
Cheers Mike!
Note...since we at Ultimate Bar Chef got to enjoy some of this Liquid Asset Manager's cocktails...we think he sums up Bar Chef and New Orleans! And you can count on the fact that we will be at Tortuga making sure its 5 o'clock somewhere...
