The Aging Bartender

Bar Hack: Cape Gooseberry Clarified Punch

I think the first question is: What the hell is a gooseberry? Right? These odd little suckers pop up every so often with no rhyme or reason. Bright orange balls that most avoid because they’re foreign and taste strange. Hey, we like that. How to use them? Look no further, your friendly neighborhood aging bartender…

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  • Bar Hack: Cape Gooseberry Clarified Punch

    I think the first question is: What the hell is a gooseberry? Right? These odd little suckers pop up every so often with no rhyme or reason. Bright orange balls that most avoid because they’re foreign and taste strange. Hey, we like that. How to use them? Look no further, your friendly neighborhood aging bartender…

  • On Muddling

    Well, it’s citrus season and if you’re bar program is worth a squirt of piss, that usually means you’ll be muddling something. For the record, I hate muddling, but also for the record, it’s the best way to incorporate fresh fruit flavor or herbs into your drinks. Listen, you don’t have to if you don’t…

  • Rustic Rookie Year

    I went into the private dining room and sat down in front of the chef and the general manager. The seat was hot. I had been here before but this time neither of them looked sad at all. This was a mercy killing. The GM in particular royally hated my guts. I could see the…

  • The History of the Cherimoya Sour

    We’ve been doing these for many years running now and each year it’s a little different. This year it tastes a little different and now, looking back over the older recipes, I realize why. Two main reasons. 1. Whey and 2. Cachaca. Neither of which are featured in the 2024 version. And I’ve been wondering…

  • Pop Up Review: Smogen Sandwiches

    These guys did a pop up over in Studio City at a place called Vintage Wine + Eats. I knew nothing about it. Jo is the one in the family with her thumb firmly on the pulse of what the influencers are pumping up. I have to say, it’s quite nice because I have no…

  • New Cocktail: Lighten Up, Francis

    Now that the holiday doldrums have ceased for another year, I think we can begin to fire up some new cocktails. Yes, I can feel some distance now which, in turn, is creating some space in my brain. The new cocktail name, if you guessed it, is a long stretch but still somewhat relevant because…

  • Maybe I’ve Been Too Hard on Citrus Season

    For whatever reason I’ve been extra harsh on citrus season for no particular reason and now I’m embracing it and relearning to really love it. Not sure why I ever was a hater in the first place…I think maybe because the season was so damn long and arduous last year and became rather boring. A…

  • List of Potential Cocktail Names

    Some bar managers are smart and they don’t name cocktails because it’s a bit lame and it actually adds additional work. If you’ve never had to do this, refrain, as it is sometimes not so easy. The cocktail name has to reflect something to do with the drink…Most of the time…A story, a quip, a…

  • Bar Hack: ‘Cello

    No not that cello, you ninny. All the relatives of Limoncello. You know, yuzucello, orangecello, and so on and so forth. It’s all pretty easy but you will need a few choice tools and potent liquids in order to get the most out of this season’s citrus harvest–a zester, a big old glass jar, lots…

  • Citrus Season has Already Begun

    When did this happen? I blinked and all of a sudden there’s kumquats in the walk in, white grapefruit, and even some decent blood oranges. Is it going to be another weird year for fruit? If I remember correctly, “decent” blood oranges usually come around in late February. I say decent because blood oranges are…

  • Bar Resolutions?

    Is this even a thing? Last year was our best one in terms of creativity. Over 40 seasonal cocktails ain’t no joke and if you’ve ever seen what our bar looks like, you’d know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s tough to think about anything coming next. I’m still a bit in awe of what…

  • Booze, Books, Plants…

    …The perfect bar, in my opinion. No, not the one I work in, although it’s close…But a bar where I would want to go. Dark. A shelf full of old dusty books. Lots of plants and jars full of infusions. Maybe a little record player in the corner? It would probably look like Old Man…