ROUSES.COM
57
BAr
Mix it Up
by
Bar Chef Abigail Deirdre Gullo,
SoBou, French Quarter
that reflects the realities of a home bar —
will result in better quality at a lower price
almost every time.
“Your home bar doesn’t have to please
everybody, it’s got to be the right bar for
YOU.”
Know tHYselF
Before you head off to the liquor section at
Rouses, take 20 minutes and sit down with
a notebook and a simple question: “What
do I
really
like?”
Write down a list of cocktails that you enjoy
enough to recreate at home. Maybe it’s a
Buffalo Trace Manhattan or the Pimm’s
Cup from your favorite bar. A perfect gin
and tonic your old roommate made during
college. That aged Nicaraguan rum you
tried on your honeymoon.
Now do the same thing with the other folks
who will be more or less regulars.
“The great question is this,” Bodenheimer
says. “What do you drink when you go out?
Start there.”
CHoose YoUr Bottles well
Bodenheimer’s selection of liquors — spartan
though they might be — have an important
thing in common: each one has a story behind
it and a reason for being on the bar.
“I try to find things that are special,” he says.
His current selection reflects his interest in
Irish whiskey, including a couple of bottles
that were gifts from like-minded friends.
“There are a couple of really nice sipping
rums. I’ve got a bottle of Lativian herbal
liqueur my brother brought back from a trip.”
“Every bottle up there has a story.”
leArn YoUr InGreDIents
It helps to know a little about the supporting
cast in the cocktail world. It’ll help guide your
purchases over time. Spirits are shelf-stable,
but other bar standards are less durable.
“Vermouth is going to be our most
consistent purchase,” he says. “It starts to
turn about a month after you open it, so I
like to buy the half-bottles.”
Likewise, bitters can start to fade after a
year or so. Citrus fruits can vary in flavor
and juice content. Over time, experience
(and your developing palate) will help you
dial in flavors.
Let’s first look at the original definition of what
a cocktail is: bitters, sugar, spirit andwater.
BItters:
Don’t be intimidated by bitters;
they’re just high-proof alcohol that have been
infused with ingredients like herbs, fruit barks
and seeds. Those flavors of clove and allspice
you taste in your Manhattan or Old Fashioned
come from Angostora Bitters. You need
Peychauds to make your Sazeracs — it adds
the flavors of licorice, anise and herbs — but
how about some locally made Bittermens? The
Burlesque Bitters are foxy and the Tiki Bitters
are fun with rum cocktails. The Lavender Bar
Chef Bitters are fantastic as well.
sUGAr
: Mix sugar and water in equal parts
until the sugar is dissolved. But use some
alternative sweeteners, too. Agave nectar is
made from the same plant they make tequila
out of. You can use half as much and it
creates a rich flavor. Try it with fresh lime and
tequila or rum and you have a great summer
low-calorie drink.
spIrIt:
I like my drinks brown bitter and
stirred, so hit me up with some whiskey or
rum. But now that the weather is turning, gin
based cocktails are so refreshing on those
hot summer days. Oriza Gin is local
and made from Louisiana rice and
is perfect for a gin and tonic. And
speaking of…
wAter:
Lots of ice is
essential to have on hand
for a home bar. Different
sizes too. Small cubes for
those refreshing drinks that
go down fast, and some
larger blocks or spheres for
those slow sipping an Old
Fashioned.
Keep tools sIMple
As you work your way through your list of
favorites, you’ll need a few simple tools to
make your life easier. A long handled bar
spoon and a simple metal shaker will suffice
for most preparations, which is why working
barkeeps always have them close at hand.
Specialized glassware is often a nice touch
(slender stemmed glasses for the martini
crowd, chunky rocks glasses for fans of
the old fashioned), but don’t go nuts with
special ice molds or margarita machines.
BUIlD YoUr sKIlls AnD
pAlAte
As you use said tools to make your version
of said cocktails with said ingredients,
you’ll learn something amazing — that
you’re building basic skills through pure
repetition. If you love a nice Mai Tai, you’re
gonna get good at juicing and shaking. If
you were inspired by Mad Men to dig into
the Old Fashioned, then you’ll develop mad
muddling skills as time goes on.
But you’ll also learn how to dial in the
different ingredients to match your own
personal tastes, even if it’s a little different
from the classic recipes. You might like a
little extra horseradish in your Bloody Mary
or a specific vermouth in a homemade
Manhattan.
Done right, your own personal style will
emerge simply and organically. And as you
gain in experience and confidence, you’ll see
that you can accomplish a whole lot with a
few bottles and time at home.
Cure on Freret St. in New Orleans.
