Drinks52 - Mountainside

“When I first tasted Japanese whisky, I was struck by its woody perfume and incense notes. To bring that out in this drink, I infused simple syrup with fennel seeds. Normally, an Old-Fashioned would be made with a straightforward, unflavored sugar syrup like simple syrup or demerara syrup, but here we use the blender (aka my favorite at-home bar tool) for a rapid infusion.”

Food Network - 6 Best Whiskeys, According to a Spirits Expert

“There is a wide world of whiskey out there, and it can be hard to know the best place to start out exploring.

To start, it’s important to know the key features that define the category. Whiskies are always made from distilled fermented grain and must be aged in oak containers. Drilling down into specific categories and you’ll see that some whiskies are a blend of corn, rye and other grains, while others are made exclusively from barley. Furthermore, the type of aging vessel can vary from brand-new and freshly charred barrels that impart strong flavors to the spirits, to many-times-recycled used oak vessels that let the underlying flavors of the spirit shine through.

The main whiskey producing regions of the world are North America, Ireland, Scotland and Japan, but you can find whiskey from almost anywhere these days: Australia, Taiwan and even South Africa has an award-winning distillery. North American whiskies, in general, tend to be made predominantly from grains like corn, rye and wheat, while whiskies from Japan, Ireland and Scotland are mostly barley-based. A language note: Ireland and the US write “whiskey”, while Japan, Scotland and Canada, call it “whisky”.” For the sake of simplicity, this article will use the US spelling “whiskey” when referring to the overall category, while respecting the “e”-less spelling for those countries who have that tradition.

In addition to being diverse, whiskey is also an extremely versatile spirit. Whiskey is the base for iconic and primordial cocktails such as the whiskey sour, highball and old fashioned, but most whiskies can serve as a standalone beverage, served “neat” without any additions or with a splash of water or ice.

Given that whiskey is such a broad and diverse category, it’s tough to distill things down to a few simple “bests.” That said, if you’re a relative newcomer to the wide world of whiskey, here are a few top picks to help you along in your journey through this fascinating and richly rewarding realm.”

Miz Jade Wants Us to Hold on to Our Power

Miz Jade is an educator, dancer, and activist who has seen it all in her career. From boating with Kesha, to promoting inclusivity through children’s books, Miz Jade has been busy turning parties and changing minds since she was a teenager. She’s also performing at Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation’s annual fundraiser this month. We sat down with her to ask her how life has changed since the pandemic and how we can all come into our power and show up for our communities.

Food & Wine: It Is Time to Rethink Danny Meyer’s 'Setting the Table'

“The first time I heard the name Danny Meyer was from my mom. She was a New York native and avid diner who had just come from her first meal at The Modern, his fine-dining restaurant that had recently opened in the Museum of Modern Art. She had been sitting at the bar when Meyer, the founder of Union Square Hospitality Group, paused long enough to make eye contact. She recognized him, but before she realized who he was, the flutter of familiarity prompted her to blurt out an inappropriately familiar hello. He said hello right back. My mom described this as the kind of warm but politely vague hello someone gives a person who they know they should know, but can't bring themselves to register a name. My mom was so struck by how warmly he, one of the most legendarily successful restaurateurs of our time, treated her.”

Drinks52: Double Strawberry Lemonade

https://food52.com/recipes/85886-best-strawberry-lemonade-recipe

“Leave it to a former fancy bartender to complicate what should be an otherwise straightforward drink. This lemonade features strawberries two ways: first, as the base for the syrup that sweetens the drink, and second, frozen as the ice that chills the drink and gives it a playful two-toned hue.”

Drinks52: Red Wine Sangria

https://food52.com/recipes/85887-best-red-wine-sangria-recipe

“Sangria is one of the more forgiving drink recipes. You can play around with a lot of different variations in terms of wine varieties, fruits, and other additions, but for this I thought we’d keep it as close to classic as possible.”

Bon Appetit/Basically: This Is the Summer You Make Your Perfect Margarita

“The margarita is special in the pantheon of classic cocktails. Like the venerable daiquiri, it’s primal enough that it can be made from commonly-found ingredients yet has enough complexity to offer endless possibilities for riffing and customization. The core recipe—tequila with triple sec and lime juice—is forgiving for beginners but with enough room for experimentation that seasoned pros can add their own touches of flair.”

Drinks52: Picon Bière

https://food52.com/recipes/85885-best-picon-biere-cocktail-recipe

“But don’t be intimidated! Beer cocktails like these are low-work, high-reward cocktails that can really hit the spot on a hot, lazy day (or any day).”

Thrillist: How Monét X Change Has Used Her Voice After Drag Race Win

“Ru Paul’s Drag Race All Stars season four winner Monét X Change has had an extremely full schedule ever since her win. With albums, podcasts, even a guest spot on Lovecraft Country, this queen is now beloved for so much more than just knowing how to properly wear a kitchen sponge. I caught up with her on a summer afternoon to chat about NYC versus LA drag culture, podcasting, and why local queens deserve more respect.”

Drinks52: Blue Hawaii

https://food52.com/recipes/85869-best-blue-hawaiian-cocktail-recipe

“It might look strange that this drink uses both vodka and white rum, but there is good reason for it. Known for being flavorless and neutral, vodka is often derided by some (in my opinion, overly serious) drink makers, but it can serve a valuable purpose. In a drink like this, with so many intensely flavored ingredients, vodka can act as a “spacer,” providing room for the other ingredients to shine, while still maintaining the drink’s strength.”

Who Ordered the Blue Drink?

https://punchdrink.com/articles/who-ordered-blue-curacao-drink-shark-recipe/

Photo by Lizzie Munro

Photo by Lizzie Munro

“
My history with blue drinks goes back to a night in the late fall of 2010. I was a bartender at PDT—the New York neo-speakeasy that helped usher cocktail arcana into popular culture—and was working with my boss, Jim Meehan, on a tropical drink I hoped would reflect the flavors of a traditional Thanksgiving meal.”

Thrillist: How Nicky Doll Found Herself By Becoming Someone Else

https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/nicky-doll-profile

“Born in France, Nicky spent time in Morocco, the Carribean, Paris, and San Francisco before settling in New York City. I put on my best lipstick and FaceTimed with her about Japanese pop culture, the difference between American and French drag, and what it was like to do Pete Davidson’s makeup for SNL..”

Bon Appetit/Basically: The Make-Ahead Martini Is My Version of Meal Prep

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/make-ahead-martini

“The stars don’t always align how we want them, so what’s a good midpoint between a Ramos Gin Fizz party of one and cracking open a cold one? Meal-prepping your drinks. This means pre-batching, re-bottling, and pre-chilling your drinks so that you can pour one here and there without having to bust out your bar kit. It does require a little forethought, a bit of math, and a couple of caveats, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll find the upfront time was well spent.”