Amaro April: "Fallow Grave" from The Toronto Temperance Society

Today takes us to an entirely brand new destination for this blog - Toronto! While the city doesn't have the reputation or the scene for cocktails and mixology that New York, San Francisco, Seattle, or Vancouver has, it is not without a couple great bars and bartenders, and Robin Kaufman from the speakeasy-style Toronto Temperance Society has donated a brand new amaro cocktail for us to enjoy during Amaro April. A good example of what they're about, which is quite similar in spirit (pun intended) to New York speakeasies or Needle & Thread in Seattle, check out their House Rules.
I didn't have the pleasure of visiting the place myself, so I will pass the torch to my partner-in-crime - the lovely and talented Leah - who recently made the trip to T dot and not only asked Robin for an original cocktail, but also passed along her review...

"It was a relatively bad week for good alcohol. I was staying in Barrie, rather than Toronto, and as such, my only other bar experiences up to that point involved:

- An Irish Pub/Sports Bar that specialized in greasy dudes with Manwich-stained Polo's drinking draught (wherein I ordered a thoroughly underwhelming dry gin martini that was wet with cheap vermouth and regret)

- A charming local music venue full of suburban hipsters where I ordered Jack Daniels with no ice because it was literally the best thing I could see behind the bar. It was served in a plastic cup, and took me back to my late teens, where alcohol came in plastic cups, Pabst Blue Ribbon was served on ice, and Lucky Beer was 2$ a can. Memories, both misty and water-coloured. So, you can imagine how Sidecar and the subsequent visit to the Toronto Temperance Society was a most welcome delight.

I arrived early, following a long day of museums and history-dork stuff, and sat at the bar. Sidecar has a respectable cocktail menu, though the walk from the ROM and heat made me somewhat undecided. The friendly bartender, whose name escapes me, recommended a Sailor Jerry Sour which I ended up ordering, it was nice enough for a hot day (and just after 5:00), if not too sweet and dessert-y for my tastes. (Not that he can be faulted; when you're female and blonde and wear frilly dresses bartenders are right to assume you're looking for something sweet and light - or so I find) We talked briefly about Toronto tourist attractions (he recommended axe-throwing, which wasn't in the free 'Discover Toronto' guide I picked up from the airport), and I asked, politely, whether a visitor would be allowed to visit the TTS, above Sidecar.

And so I did. Through a little door and up a narrow staircase is the wondrous Toronto Temperance Society. It's a beautiful space, all dark wood and pastoral wallpaper, playing 20s-30's pop music, and nearly empty (it was early and a holiday weekend). I tried to decide what I wanted from their top notch menu of classic cocktails (with handy variations under each listing). The bartender, Robin (a fellow Vancouverite, incidentally), introduced the menu, and wanted to discuss my drink order – after a week of plastic cups of JD and $8 bottles of wine, finally, a real bartender - the kind who cares about what you're drinking as much as you do.

First, a side-note. TTS has a terrific selection. As a victim of the BC Liquor Distribution Board, such a selection is overwhelming. 

...Aaand, back to the review. Robin made me an original of his – the "Fallow Grave," the recipe for which you will find below. I requested Bourbon, and the "Fallow Grave" happened to be exactly what I was in the mood for-- Buffalo Trace, Amaro Ninino (a first for me – like tasty cough medicine), Crème Yvette, Bittermen's Grapefruit Bitters and Regan's Orange Bitters. (As an aside, isn't Bittermen's Grapefruit Bitters lovely? It's like proper Grapefruit, rather than the more synthetic tasting Fee's-- synthetics have their place, of course, like Joan Rivers' immovable face or 70's fabric that lasts until the end of time, but there's something to be said for subtlety). The "Fallow Grave" is a kindler, gentler Bourbon cocktail with interesting depth from the Amaro and the coriander of the Regan's Orange. It's floral, but not without balls. Robin thought it may be a little too Crème Yvette heavy, and you could back it off just a hair if you plan to make it yourself (which I think you should), or embrace the Crème Yvette - I think it's quite nice for a spring evening.

My second drink was another lovely surprise. Tromba Tequila, Dolin Sweet Vermouth, and Boker's Bitters. Three all new ingredients - all delicious. Tromba Tequila was surprisingly smooth and versatile, a little floral – interesting enough to sip on its own and adaptable enough that it would probably be a nice addition to nearly any Tequila cocktail. Dolin Vermouth may be one of my new favorites. A future of being a shuffleboard-playing blue-hair who drinks straight Vermouth seems pretty great with either Dolin Sweet or Dry. (Sorry. I've known a lot of Grandmas who drink a lot of Vermouth) - and the inclusion of delicious Boker's Bitters makes this drink exciting. TTS is generous with tasters, and I finished the evening off with a barrel-aged Boubon concoction with my newfound favorites – Dolin vermouth, Boker's bitters, and a bit of Fee's Peach. (See? Small quantities. The 70s leisure-suit lives.) 

And the TTS experience? Really, one of my favorites! The service is impeccable, the atmosphere is classic and the company is great. Don't be fooled by their membership-only policy – Robin, Oliver, and the other fellow who's name I didn't catch but who was kind enough of draw me a map are utterly without attitude or airs. The members-only policy, as I gather, is to maintain the unique atmosphere, and I would certainly say enjoying an amazing cocktail in civilized company without girls with orange tans and fake Coach bags all hopped up on flavored-vodka Flirtini's and their gold-chained man-friends ordering rounds of Hypnotiq for the table has a certain cache.

So, if you're visiting Toronto, put down that plastic cup of JD and take it from me – visit Sidecar, and maybe, if you ask nicely, you'll find yourself at the Temperance Society. Lucky you!

(In addition to drinking alcohol and writing, I make and enjoy movies. Follow me on my new Twitter: @traitorfilms)."

A note on ingredients: Creme Yvette is NOT the same as Creme de Violette. People often make this mistake. While they are somewhat similar, using violet flowers as flavour components, Yvette is much more complex, also using vanilla and other spices. The makers of St. Germain have created a new brand (after it being quite impossible to get anywhere since the late 1960's), but you'll be stuck with finding it in the states as far as I can tell. If anyone knows where to find it in Canada, please comment!
Amaro Nonino is available at Legacy, where it will run you $50. 

Regan's Bitters are available at Legacy for $11, and Bittermen's as well for $27 (they're only $16 at Gourmet Warehouse, though). 

Fallow Grave

1.75oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon

1oz Amaro Nonino

1-2 barspoons Creme Yvette

2-3 dashes Bittermen's Grapefruit Bitters

1 dash Regan's Orange Bitters #6

Stir all ingredients over ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Flame a grapefruit peel over top. 

Thanks to Robin and TTS for the contribution!

[[ See my post on amaro digestivos here ]]
[[ See my post on amaro aperivos here ]]
[[ See a buying guide for amaro here ]]

[[ See "The One Hit Wonder" from L'abattoir in Vancouver here ]]
[[ See "The Penny Farthing" from Pourhouse here ]]
[[ See an introduction to amaro  here ]]
[[ See "The Imperial Eagle" from Bourbon & Branch here ]]
[[ See "Sevilla" from Beretta here ]]
[[ See "The Black Prince" from Phil Ward here ]]
[[ See "Bad Apple" and "Jackson Ward" from Amor y Amargo here ]]
[[ See "The Four Horsemen" from Jay Jones at Shangri-La here ]]
[[ See Colin MacDougall from Blue Water Cafe here ]]
[[ See "Debbie Don't" from Dutch Kills here ]]
[[ See "Welcome to the Dark Side" from Cin Cin here ]]
[[ See "Foolish Games" from Russell Davis here ]]
[[ See "Intro To Aperol" from Audrey Saunders at Pegu Club here ]] 

Maraschino March: "Cherry Bob-omb" from Veneto

We head north again for the next two original cocktails, both of which use a lot more Maraschino than you'd expect, or probably have ever seen. First, is the "Cherry Bob-omb" (which I'm told is a Scott Pilgrim reference) from Simon Ogden at Veneto in Victoria. (You can see my review here).
Simon, head bartender at Veneto, is also a founding member and writer for the Lyric Stage Project (a collective of artists involved in theatre), spends much of his time not behind the bar on or around a theatre stage, and contributes as well to local publications and websites discussing drink in B.C. (such as Urban Diner). You can check out his personal blog here.
His influence is felt here in Vancouver as well, where you can go to the Clough Club (one of my favourite new cocktail bars) and order both his creation from Veneto "The Wax Poetic" (with bourbon, grapefruit, agave, lemon, Peychaud's, egg white, and flamed grapefruit peel), and "The Ogden" (bourbon, maple syrup, absinthe, menthe pastille, and flamed orange). The latter was created by Jay Jones, a director on the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association, and recently named the 2012 Canadian Bartender of the Year (you can find him at Market in the Shangri-la Hotel in downtown Vancouver).
Simon is one of many reasons why Veneto is such a great place, and to reiterate my review, I encourage anyone in Victoria to head down there as soon as possible if you enjoy well-crafted cocktails and delicious food.

Simon has created a cocktail specifically for this series that is "built to showcase the Maraschino specifically, and even with the light Tequila at the base, everything frames it nicely." It looks really interesting, and I'm excited to see how everything balances, but this is not one most of us will be able to make at home due to the addition of Guignolet, a cherry liqueur from Angers in France (from the same place and in part the same people who make Cointreau). The solution is simple - get to Veneto and have Simon make you one.

Cherry Bob-omb

1.5 oz El Jimador Blanco Tequila
1 oz Maraschino (I used Luxardo)
1 oz Giffard Guignolet D'Angers
1 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
2 dashes Bitter Truth Grapefruit Bitters

Stir together ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a flamed grapefruit zest. 

A point of interest here as well is the "stir" word showing up in a juice cocktail. I often say "shake anything with juice, cream, or egg - stir everything else," but this is a general rule and is thereby probably meant to be broken (much like shaking a Martini, which is fairly common). 
Simon says: 
"I personally stir most drinks with citrus juice. I think the notion that all citrus drinks should be shaken is a fallacy - citric acid blends just fine with alcohol on its own. It depends a lot on the size of the ice you're using and the other products. For example, syrup and egg white drinks should be shaken, but that's more of a function of aeration rather than dilution. It's my contention that the vast majority of cocktails being served on the planet right now are being served too cold, to the detriment of the component flavours. The shaker is a uniquely effective tool for doing what it's designed to do; it's a sledgehammer, if you will, while a barspoon is a screwdriver. The spoon offers much more control."

A couple thoughts on this. First, he hits the nail (or screws the screw?) on the head by saying that shaking is a function of aeration, as most drinks that are shaken have a particular look and consistency to uphold and thereby should be shaken. Is it actually necessary to shake these drinks? Well, no, I guess not. (But please, PLEASE don't take this too far and stir your egg whites). Secondly, on the subject of drink temperature, this has been the subject of much debate in the past, namely in deciding whether it is "better" to shake or stir a Martini. There were even double-blind tests done, which basically revealed that people prefer colder Martini's, and therefore the better way to make one is to shake it. However, then you lose the pristine look of a stirred one, and some don't like that, etc, etc. I am, however, with Simon one this one (though not in all cases, as this has to be on a drink-to-drink basis as always) in a way because the colder your drink the less aromatic it will be, and in many cases, the less flavour you will get from it. That's why Scotch, or high-end Tequila and whiskey is enjoyed neat, at room temperature - so you can get the most out of the flavour and aroma. Drinking a $100 bottle of Scotch on the rocks is a bit of a waste because you won't be enjoying it to its full potential. However, we're talking about cocktails, not neat spirits, and therefore the goal is to ensure that the flavours mix and balance through chilling and diluting the ingredients, and a warm cocktail is a very different experience than a cold one (though now Russell Davis has got me very intrigued - check this out).
Either way, this is a debate for another post, so I will continue it there. 
Stirring is how Simon designed the cocktail, so that's how it should be made, damn it! 


Russell Davis from Rickhouse mixed his drink without even using ice, Simon stirs his cocktail with juice while using a full ounce of Maraschino, and next post we'll see Graham Racich from The Refinery use a full ounce and a half (!) of Maraschino by making it the base for his cocktail. 


Thanks to Simon and Veneto for this contribution!


[[ if you're interested in drink-temperature science, check this out ]]

[[ see "Oden's Muse" from Tavern Law here ]]
[[ see "The Hemingway Solution" from Vessel here ]]
[[ see the Maraschino March introduction here ]]
[[ see "The Division Bell" from Mayahuel here ]]
[[ see "The Shibuya Crusta" from L'Abattoir here ]]
[[ see "The Unforgiven" from Russell Davis at Rickhouse here ]]
[[ see "Primer Beso" from The Refinery here ]]
[[ see "The Rubicon" from Jamie Boudreau at Canon here ]]