The Washington Apple

Joe has been trying to get me to try this drink for months now! Okay! Okay!

I had resisted for a spell because I was all a-feared that an apple-based cocktail would be too tart for my tastes. I was quite relieved to see that my fears were unfounded!! That Royal Crown really grounds this baby, and with just a 'smack' of apple...

Very nice!

Read on!

The Recipe:

Into a large cocktail shaker, add:

- a 4 count of Crown Royal,

- a 3 count of Apple Pucker,

- a generous "sploosh" of cranberry juice,

Shake, shake, shake...

- garnish with a slice of orange.

Joe's Notes: The Washington Apple is like a box of chocolates, you can never have just one.

Okay, so how many of you, when you started to read this, thought, "Forrest Gump? "

Actually, this is one of the all-time misquoted sayings. He actually said "Life WAS like a box of chocolates." A small point, granted, but it did get me thinking: What about Washington and his apple tree? (Research Assistant, Kerry believes that it was a cherry tree and not an apple tree that the young George Washington cut down.) In fact there is no evidence to support that he cut down an apple or any other sort of tree.

"Houston, we have a problem." On the fated Apollo 13 Mission, Commander Jack Swigert actually said " O.K., Houston, we've had a problem." I prefer the misquote, (as did Ron Howard,) and tend to use it quite frequently.

"Beam me up, Scotty." The intrepid Captain Kirk never did say these immortal words, instead he said. "Scotty, beam me up."

Why does this happen? Could it be like the children's game Chinese Whispers , or do we purposely misquote to improve on an idea?

Here's one for all you history buffs. It is also an example of purposely misquoting. At the Battle of Trafalgar, Admiral Neslon's dying words to his ever trusty side-kick, Captain Hardy, supposedly were "Kiss me, Hardy." This has caused many a classroom of English kids to erupt into peels of laughter during history class.

It was later taught that his dying words where "Kismet, Hardy," Kismet meaning fate. This, although not true, was taught for the unfounded fear that the great Admiral Nelson could possibly have been "batting for the other team."

One interesting point about Nelson is that his body was preserved in a barrel of brandy. I wonder if this where "dead drunk" comes from?

So what has all this got to do with the Washington Apple? Absolutely nothing! But frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

So go out and get yourself a Washington Apple. A very splendid cocktail. And you can quote me on that.

Joe the Bartender

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BARELY-Related Video this week: Spinal Tap's Majesty of Rock!

Cheers!

Bartender's Margarita

Due to a reader on the Greatest Drink's facebook page, Lauren A., Tequila made it to the front of the pack for ingredients this week.

Lauren offered the use of some new videos from Olmeca Tequila, to enhance the site even further; chuck in an element of education, and maybe even a dash of class! (Be sure to click on some of Olmeca's other videos for further viewing!)

Thank you Lauren!

And it twas thus that The Bartender's Margarita found this week's spotlight! And a well earned spotlight it is!

The Recipe:

Into a cocktail shaker full of ice, add:

- a 4 count of gold tequila

- a 2 count of triple sec,

- a 3 count of sweet & sour

- a splash of cranberry juice

- the juice of 1/2 large lime, and include the peel,

- Shake well. Actually, shake the living daylights out of that thing!

- Pour all ingredients, (including the lime,) into a 16 ounce pint glass with a salted rim.

- top with a float of Grand Marnier.

- Serve, (without a straw!)

Chris's Notes: I am a big fan of tequila. So I was pretty quick to accept Lauren A's offer of the Olmeca videos for this week, and I called Joe straight away, (easy with my new-fangled "speed dial" buttons!,) to request a good tequila drink!

Joe, in his usual manner, seemed really excited about the idea!

He already had a candidate in mind for the occasion, and would present it to me on my next visit.

Just look at that thing, would ya? You can SEE the taste in that baby! The tequila reigns supreme on the palate, true, but all of those other flavors are not lost, NO! The delicate dance of tickling the taste buds finds this week's entry appealing to almost all of one's tongue: Sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and all in such balance.

Its like a party in the mouth!

Cheers!

Joe's Notes: This week's entry into TGDitWTW library is the Bartender's Margarita. We chose this particular cocktail as we felt it embodied our blog's mantra, i.e. quality and fresh ingredients. There are as many margarita recipes as there are bartenders serving them, and at the end of the day, it is all down to one's own taste preference.

But the margarita does bring to light one of the few things that irritate me as a bartender:

Why salt the rim of the glass if you are going to drink from a straw? (Note that in this week's photo the drink is purposely missing the straw.)

While we are on the subject of things that irritate me, let me mention the Martini. Do not order a Martini and then return it because it has gin in it. (Don't look innocent, you know what I'm talking about!)

I don't intend to rant but, don't order a cocktail if you don't like the main ingredient "Can you make me a Dark & Stormy but with something other then rum?" The answer is "No."

Never call me over and then raise your finger to me as an indication to hold while you finish your conversation or phone call. It is very likely that you will not see me again for the rest of the evening.

Don't come to my bar drunk and expect me to serve you. I do not mind getting you to your happy place myself, but I do not want another bartender's sloppy seconds.

If we all follow the "Rules," I think we will all get along splendidly. Please feel free to respond with what irritates you about bartenders. Remember, it is a two way street.

Cheers, Joe

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This week's music video is DIRECTLY RELATED!!!

Actually, this scene from Pee Wee's Big Adventure could be the official video for The Champs' 1958 hit, "Tequila!"

Joe's Cosmo

I asked Joe what the drink of the week was recently and he said “A Cosmo!”

What followed was a debate on what constitutes a “girlie-drink,” (and I stand by my description of a pink, fruity drink in stemware as “girlie.” But Joe insisted I try one, and actually won the argument by saying, “This blog isn’t just for men, is it?”

Joe continued with his pitch saying that people come from far and wide to order HIS Cosmo, and proceeded to whip me up one of these angry pink menaces...

The Recipe:

While chilling a martini glass with ice, into a cocktail shaker of ice;

- pour a 4 count of Svedka Citron

- pour a 3 count of Svedka Clementine

- pour a 1 count of Cointreau

- squeeze 1/4 of fresh lime

- add a “sploosh” of cranberry

- stir vigorously

- Strain into the now-chilled martini glass

- garnish with a wedge of fresh lime.

Recipe by Joe The Bartender, Passage to India Restaurant, Salem, MA

Bartender's notes: There are many kinds of flavored vodkas on the market, but Joe prefers Svedka because he feels that it has the least synthetic taste to it.

Chris’s notes: I sat there there in the bar drinking what I STILL believe to be a girl’s drink, I must admit it is a pretty strong one... Sorta like pink lemonade but with a serious axe to grind. Joe concedes that it may have the reputation of being a girlie drink, but when purchased for women, it may also lead to a “loosening of the knickers’ elastic!”

I’ll drink to that.