Vodka: potato vs grain

Vodka is defined as a neutral spirit "without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color. In fact, vodka's neutral taste does account for much of its appeal: It mixes equally well with tonic water and tomato juice, and it can be as crisp as James Bond's vodka martinis or as trashy as the "swamp waters" my local bartender mixes (made of vodka and Redbull). Vodka suits any occasion, goes with any food, and "possibly" gives you less of a hangover than any other liquor. It's no wonder that in America, vodka outsells gin, rum, and tequila, as well as scotch, bourbon, and whiskey.

Vodka can be distilled in a good many ways, from a great many substances, including wheat, rye, beets, corn, potatoes, and sugar cane. In Russia, the Yukos oil conglomerate recently made headlines for marketing a vodka distilled from hemp seed. As a result, each brand has a distinct smell, flavor, aftertaste, and burn (i.e., the burning sensation vodka creates as it goes down your throat). The grain-based vodkas, which are the most popular, tend to be smooth and can even go down easy. Vegetable-based vodkas are often, and often unfairly, dismissed as being harsh.

After several tastings, we came up with this short list of tasty, smooth vodkas.

• Brilliant (Distilled from grain)

• Glacier (Distilled from potato)

• Ketel One (Distilled from wheat)

• Armadale (Distilled from wheat and barley)

• Chopin (Distilled from potatos)

All fantastic, but in the end, Chopin was by far the best of the best. So, there you have it, distillation with potato is the winner. Cheers!

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Martini

This is the perfect starter cocktail for Thanksgiving. Finding the pumpkin liqueur might be a bit of a challenge, but well worth it (and a little easier to snag this time of year). Ingredients:

1 part Vanilla Vodka
1/2 part Pumpkin Liqueur
1 Part Heavy Cream
Ice

Mix all three in a shaker and strain into martini glass rimmed with a combination of raw brown sugar & cinnamon. Just like the slice of pumpkin pie for dessert this cocktail is delicious with a dab of whipped cream to finish. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Perfect for the season - Mulled wine

When the holiday parties and entertaining starts, nothing smells better or warms the soul more than mulled wine. Traditional mulled wine is a warmed wine that has been sweetened with sugar, citrus and spices. This simple recipe would be perfect for the start of the holiday season - made ahead of time to get the inspiring aroma throughout the festivities.

What you need:

Two bottles of red wine
3 oranges sliced in rounds and then halved

1 lemon sliced in rounds and then halved
1/2 cup brandy
10 cloves
1 to 1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
5 cinnamon sticks
3 tsp grated ginger

Combine wine, citrus, vanilla, brandy & sugar in a large pot on medium heat. Do not boil and stir often to ensure the ingredients dissolve. Once dissolved, add the spices (preferably tied in a cheesecloth bag) and cook on low for 30-45 minutes. Serve in mugs and enjoy!

this mule carries it all

It is always nice when you stumble upon a found gem in your travels. We had the opportunity to visit one of San Diego's finest bars, Starlight, for local food & unique cocktails. We were particulary taken with the Moscow Mule (which originated in the 40s at the famous Cock 'n Bull Tavern on Sunset Blvd.) served in the copper mug. It is time for this one to make a comeback.

The drink calls for:

1 part vodka
1 part lime juice
3 parts ginger beer

Mix together and pour over ice. Serve in a copper mug, of course.

a simple, but necessary part of any tasty lybation

Simple syrup is very simple to make and is an essential part of any tasty lybation. You will find it in many popular mixed cocktails including Mojitos, Daiquiris and Hurricanes. This sweetener is primarily used as a substitute for raw sugar, keeping the cocktail from tasting granular and adds rich volume.

Making your own simple syrup is also more economical than buying it at the store. You can make as small or as large a batch as you wish and store it in the refrigerator in a well sealed bottle for around 6 months. It can be made in a variety of ways, here's how:

Thicker Simple Syrup:

With this variation you can use less syrup than a cocktail calls for.

Ingredients:

• 2 parts sugar
• 1 part water

Prep:

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water, stirring constantly.
3. Once the sugar is dissolved completely (about 3 minutes), remove the pan from the heat.
4. Allow to cool completely and thicken, then bottle.

To prolong the shelf life, add a little vodka, tequila or rum (whatever spirit you use the most) - usually between a tablespoon and an ounce, depending on how large the batch of syrup is.

Flavor-infused syrups:
Simple syrup can also be infused with flavor, such as lemon, lime or orange zest, and used in a variety of cocktails to add a unique twist.