Winter Cocktails: "Gold," "Frankincense," and "Myrrh" by Trevor Kallies in Vancouver

There are a lot of newcomers to the site this month, and today I have the pleasure of sharing three drinks from a Vancouver veteran. Trevor Kallies is currently the bar and beverage director for the Donnelly Group, owners of sixteen bars, nightclubs, pubs, and barber shops in the city. He is an award-winning bartender and also a director and founding member of the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association. 

Trevor is graciously sharing recipes for three holiday drinks he's been working on, all festively named and all using a Kale & Nori Bittered Sling Extract, a line of bitters created by local chef and mixologist team Jonathan Chovancek and Lauren Mote.

Gold

1oz Jameson Irish Whiskey

1oz Benedictine

1 barspoon peach-jalapeño preserves

3 dashes Bittered Sling Plum & Rootbeer bitters

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with gold flakes. 

Frankincense

1.5oz Beefeater 24

1oz white grapefruit juice

0.5oz Yellow Chartreuse

3 dashes Bittered Sling Orange & Juniper bitters

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a spruce tip.

 
Myrrh

1oz Glenlivet Scotch Whisky

1oz Tio Pepe dry sherry

0.5oz Lillet

3 dashes Bittered Sling Moondog bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with mandarin orange zest layered with cranberries on a pick.  

[[ Photography by Fred Fung ]]


More Holiday Drinks!
[["Yukon Cornelius" from Veneto in Victoria ]]
[[ "The Rockefeller" from Veneto in Victoria ]]
[[ The Hot Toddy ]]
[[ Winter drinks from Smuggler's Cove in San Francisco ]]
[[ "Bear Skin" from The Refinery in Vancouver ]]
[[ "Cold & Delicious" from The Violet Hour in Chicago ]]
[[ The history of Eggnog ]]
[[ "Gold," "Frankincense," and "Myrrh" from Trevor Kallies in Vancouver ]]
[[ "Old Saint Juan" from Shea Hogan in Vancouver ]]
[[ "Hot Buttered Rhum Cider" from Slanted Door in San Francisco ]]
[[ The history of mulled wine ]]
[[ The history of The Flip ]]
[[ Hot Buttered Rum ]]

Halloween Cocktails: "The Giant Huntsman" by Lauren Mote

Not everyone finds spiders scary, but I certainly do and therefore find a drink named after the largest spider in the world to be fitting for Halloween. Lauren Mote from Kale & Nori (read more what they do here in the series on their Bittered Sling Extracts) brings us a cocktail in her complex culinary style using Oolong tea, yuzu juice, and her "Denman Bitters," featuring Asian spices. The arachnid after which the drink is named has over a 12 inch legspan making it the largest spider by size in the world (the largest by mass is the Goliath Birdeater).  

"Inspired by the largest spider of them all, with the same name. It's a big cave-dweller, with super long legs, and just discovered in the last 12 years in Laos. This cocktail includes some gorgeous ingredients inspired by the region, but you'll never think about spiders the same way again. It's refreshingly complex, balanced, and will leave you terrified of other cocktails.

The Giant Huntsman

1 oz Beefeater 24 Gin
1 oz Lillet
1 dash "Bittered Sling" Denman Bitters
0.75 oz “O5 Tea” Osmanthus Oolong Syrup
0.5 oz Yuzu Juice

Shake all ingredients together with ice, and service in a chilled cocktail glass. 
Garnish with a lemon cheek (spray the oils over the cocktail surface, and slide along the rim).

Oolong Syrup Method:
7 tsp of Oolong, steeped for 10 minutes in 1L of water. Strain, and mix the water with equal parts of white sugar until dissolved. Place into refrigerator for up to 10 days, and use as required.

Lauren recommends using O5 tea for the Oolong, which you can find at www.o5tea.com.
As for the Denman Bitters, click here to see current retailers, and be sure to check out the Bittered Sling Series for more cocktail ideas.

The Fall Series:

You can see the series introduction here
and more terrible Halloween cocktails here
"Death & Oranges" by Donnie Wheeler
"Jones' Bitter Aperitif" by Evelyn Chick 
"The Satchmo" by Simon Ogden 
"Dark City" by Jay Jones 
Classic Halloween Cocktails 
"The Bay Harbour Butcher" by Shaun Layton 
"A Nightmare On Juniper Street" by Shea Hogan 

Bittered Sling Extracts: David Wolowidnyk at West

Our final Bittered Sling contribution takes us to South Granville where we visit both a restaurant of great renown and a bar program run by one of Canada's most recognized bartenders, and thanks to the cocktail being shared today, he's now recognized world-wide. West, or Ouest as it was originally known, has been consistently viewed as one of Vancouver's best food options since it opened in 2000, with its delicious West Coast style cuisine, and delicate and regional-inspired desserts. With an award-winning staff from the kitchen to the bar and sommellier to management and service, West has it covered from every angle. The bar sports a huge array of spirits, and a full wall of temperature-controlled wine selections, including thirty offered by the glass. It is definitely one of my favourite places to both eat and drink in the city.
Bar manager David Wolowidnyk has resided at West for eight years now, racking up awards from magazines like Urban Diner and GQ, festivals like Art of the Cocktail, and world-wide spirit competitions from national brands. Most recently, David represented Canada in Morocco for the "World's Most Imaginative Bartender" competition presented by Bombay Sapphire, where his original cocktail, "Beldi," won him the competition. Thousands of competitors contributed from all over the world, but it was David's combination of flavours inspired by his experience in Marrakech that proved to be the best.
Combining botanical flavours from the Bombay gin with others from the region, "Beldi" brings strong and complex spice elements to a very basic cocktail structure (essentially a Martini), creating a light and refreshing drink that piques curiosity with each sip. An ingredient list will give an idea of this drink's depth: saffron, ginseng, mint and mint tea, cinnamon, cassia, coriander, almond, lemon, liquorice, juniper, orris root, angelica, cubeb, grains of paradise, plus the wealth of herbs and spices in the Bittered Sling Lem-Marrakech bitters.

Beldi

45ml Bombay Sapphire Gin infused with Moroccan Saffron and Ginseng
20ml Martini Bianco infused with Moroccan Mint Tea and mint leaves
15ml Cinnamon & Cassia Syrup
2 dashes Bittered Sling Lem-Marrakech Extract
Toasted Moroccan coriander tincture

Combine gin, vermouth, syrup, and extract with ice and stir in a mixing glass.
Mist a chilled cocktail glass with the toasted coriander tincture.
Strain the mixture into the glass and garnish with a lemon zest.
Mist the tincture again over the surface of the drink.

(Instructions for making the infusions, syrup, and tincture are at the bottom of this page)

West's cocktail menu is equally filled with well-chosen classics and some fantastic originals. The mix of both classic bartending and modern "mixology" hits a perfect balance here. A dealer's choice is always an exciting choice as well, so make your way down soon and supplement your "Beldi" with another of David's creations. Stay for dinner too.

See the Bittered Sling introduction here
See Dani Tatarin from The Keefer mix something up in her Chinese apothecary-style here
See Justin Taylor from Yew mix up some infused and barrel-aged spirits here
See Evelyn Chick from Uva Wine Bar make some fresh-fruit seasonal cocktails here 
See Jay Jones from Market by JG in the Shangri-La Hotel mix a spirit-forward classic-stye drink here
See Grant Sceney use his barrel-aged Cointreau here


Infused Gin

1.75L bottle of Bombay Sapphire

8 x pieces of dried ginseng

1/8 tsp saffron

Combine & let sit for 24 hours then strain off solids

Infused Vermouth
Cold-steep 1tsp of Moroccan Mint Tea with
6-8 mint leaves
in one bottle of Martini Bianco vermouth
strain off solids and keep refrigerated.

Cinnamon / Cassia Syrup

1 stick of Cinnamon

1 stick of Cassia

1.5L water

Boil Cinnamon & Cassia in 1.5L of water until reduced to 1 litre

Strain solids

Measure 2 parts sugar to 1 part liquid

Simmer until disolved 

Cool before bottling in a sealed container and refrigerate

Toasted Coriander Tincture

500ml Coriander Seed, toasted in a dry pan on medium heat

Crush/Grind toasted seed

500ml Bombay Sapphire Gin

Infuse for 24 hours

Strain out solids through a fine filter

Note: Normally David would use a higher proof alcohol to make a tincture, yet during the competition he had to work only with products on hand or that he was able to acquire in Morocco.

Bittered Sling Extracts: Grant Sceney at the Fairmont Pacific Rim

Both the Fairmont Pacific Rim and the lead bartender in its Lobby Lounge, Grant Sceney, are new additions to Vancouver. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, and spending two years bartending on an island in the Great Barrier Reef before calling British Columbia home, Grant has obviously picked up the craft quickly and didn't waste any time making his mark on downtown's drinking scene. With a new menu focusing on both classic and modern drinks, and implementing both barrel-aging and the Perlini carbonation system, this Fairmont is already standing out. An Aviation along with a barrel-aged Rob Roy and Bijou sit next to the Seattle-inspired carbonated Corpse Reviver #2 and Sidecar, and the originals are consistent with most of the contributors in this series having a focus on the culinary approach to mixing drinks. The "Pacific Rim Sour," is a mandarin orange-infused pisco sour with a touch of hibiscus, for example, while the "Bali Hai" features pear and thyme-infused gin and a ginseng and goji berry tincture mixed with agave, lime, and coconut water. Osmanthus and jalapeno both make infusion appearances as well, as does a Hoegaarden beer cocktail with Wiser's whisky, lemon, and honey called the "Chronicle."
Likely the most interesting of the bunch, though, is the drink Grant has chosen to share today - "Seven Days in Havana." The most sophisticated of the bunch, and likely requiring more of an experienced palate than its menu neighbours, this sipper has some complex bitter character from all of Bittered Sling Peach and Pepper extract, Angostura, and Punt e mes. The unique aspect of the drink is the barrel-aged Cointreau, which sat in a 1.5L American oak barrel for ten weeks, which not only rounds and smooths the flavour, but also pairs very nicely both in flavour and intention with the aged Havana Club rum.

Grant explains his intentions:
"I created the drink after returning from the Havana Club Grand Prix International Cocktail Competition in Havana, which I was fortunate enough to be sent to by Havana Club despite not competing. The name comes from the movie funded by the rum called "Seven Days in Havana," which is seven short stories done by seven different directors highlighting seven different days living in the city. I was in Havana for seven days myself, and using the seven-year-old rum all fits the name. The seven-year-old is the first sipping rum of their line and thus I created this sipping drink to accompany and emphasize the characteristics of an aged rum. The structure is based on that of the Vieux Carre, and each component and ingredient helps add further complexity and depth while maintaining the integrity of the rum.
Kale and Nori's Peach and Pepper bitters is the perfect addition, with the pepper playing on the spice element from the oak and the peach holding together the orange and honey notes from the Cointreau. A bouquet of flowers moves across the palate with an underlying subtle smoke and peat element carried through by the Laphroaig. The Punt e Mes maintains the body with its mild bitter being further emphasized by Angostura, and this quality is essential in balancing the mild sweetness from the Cointreau."

Seven Days in Havana

1.5 oz Havana Club 7 Year-Old Rum
0.5 oz Punt e Mes
0.33 oz barrel-aged Cointreau
2 drops Bittered Sling Peach & Pepper Extract
1 dash Angostura bitters
Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Rinse

Stir with ice in a mixing glass, strain over rocks in a Laphroaig rinsed glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist.

If you're looking for somewhere new to try, or like me you're following a Bittered Sling treasure map throughout the city, make the Lobby Lounge in the Fairmont Pacific Rim your next stop.


See the Bittered Sling introduction here
See Dani Tatarin from The Keefer mix something up in her Chinese apothecary-style here
See Justin Taylor from Yew mix up some infused and barrel-aged spirits here
See Evelyn Chick from Uva Wine Bar make some fresh-fruit seasonal cocktails here 
See Jay Jones from Market by JG in the Shangri-La Hotel mix a spirit-forward classic-stye drink here 
See David Wolodidnyk's world-wide competition-winning cocktail here

Bittered Sling Extracts: Jay Jones at Shangri-La

Next up is a more familiar face, one of the talented veterans at the helm of the Vancouver scene, Jay Jones at Market By Jean-Georges in the Shangri-La Hotel.
You can check out some information on the man himself plus his previous contribution to the site here (from Amaro April).

Jay sticks with his typically spirit-forward and boozy style and again uses Amaro Averna, but this time incorporates a little smoke from the very peaty Ardbeg and some spice and depth from the Moondog bitters. The cocktail comes out tasting surprisingly light and soft, very balanced, and is an excellent showcase for the Don Julio Reposado.
I'll let Jay introduce his cocktail himself:


"Debuting at Bittered Sling Bistro [the bi-monthly series at Legacy Liquor Store], "The Jaguar" was designed to embrace and resound the characteristics of Don Julio Reposado Tequila, while simultaneously pairing with Chef Jonathan Chovancek's dish of pressed pork, Mayacoba beans, smokey vegetable broth, and crispy ramps. Furthermore, the use of Bittered Sling bitters was required - the range of hand-crafted extracts being the inspiration behind the event itself.
The cocktail addresses both challenges by featuring compliments and contrasts to specific tasting notes:
Averna helps create a fuller weight on the palate, while its bitter depth creates structure an earthy tones that match the beans, vegetables, and natural personality of aged Tequila. The chocolatey tastes add a decadence to the flavour experience.
The Moondog bitters provide spicy amplification to the cocktail while showcasing the Tequila's bite and the seasoning of the dish.
A finishing mist of Ardbeg Alligator single malt Scotch binds elements with an assertive waft of smoke and char - perfect for pork - and adds savoury to compliment the sweet components of the drink.
Fresh lemon oil introduces a bright aroma to invite and trim some edge appropriately from the bolder elements.  
The cocktail is named for the indigenous animal of Mexico - the jaguar is recognized as a national symbol. The sometimes black-furred jungle cat is known for its grace and power, and has a particularly powerful jaw. In tandem with the animal's impressive fangs, it is capable of piercing an alligator's hide..."

If you are lucky enough to have both a little Don Julio and some Ardbeg sitting around (or perhaps suitable substitutions), pick up some Moondog and try this bad boy at home. Otherwise, take a trip to Market and have Jay make one for you.
Cheers!

The Jaguar

1.5oz Don Julio Reposado Tequila
3/4oz Amaro Averna
4 firm dashes Bittered Sling Moondog
3 mists of Ardbeg Alligator Single Malt Scotch
Lemon peel

Combine Tequila, bitters, and Averna and stir with plenty of fresh ice cubes until well-chilled. Fine-strain into a cocktail coupe. Mist the surface of the cocktail thrice with Ardbeg Alligator, then zest thoroughly with lemon peel before wiping the rim and garnishing.

[[ Photography by Jay Jones ]]

See the Bittered Sling introduction here
See Dani Tatarin from The Keefer mix something up in her Chinese apothecary-style here
See Justin Taylor from Yew mix up some infused and barrel-aged spirits here
See Evelyn Chick from Uva Wine Bar make some fresh-fruit seasonal cocktails here 
See David Wolodidnyk's world-wide competition-winning cocktail here 
See Grant Sceney use his barrel-aged Cointreau here
See David Wolodidnyk's world-wide competition-winning cocktail here

Bittered Sling Extracts: Evelyn Chick at Uva Wine Bar

Next up is another newcomer to the site - the very talented Evelyn Chick from Uva Wine Bar in Vancouver. Just a block away from busy, noisy, neon-lit, and club-laden Granville Street, the Moda Hotel, restored from its 1908 glory, houses both award-winning Cibo Trattoria and Uva. Warmer, calmer, and more stylish than anything a block away, Uva offers a great alternative to a lot of the downtown hustle-bustle both during the day as an espresso bar, and at night with delicious Italian-style snacks, great wines and beers, cocktails, and even live music on choice evenings.

While Uva is, yes, known for their wine program, they're also known for their cocktails, a very modern collection of classic variations and culinary-inspired experiments. Some new creations may pique the interests of the spirit-forward types, like the "Cuban Monk," featuring Havana Blanco rum, maraschino, yellow Chartreuse, Hennessey V.S. cognac, and Angostura bitters, while classic variations like the "Highline" have my mouth watering just writing this out: vanilla and orange-peel infused Maker's Mark bourbon, Amaro Averna, Fernet Branca, and Benedictine. From there things start to get more "mixological" in nature, as Evelyn tries to create cocktails to pair well with chef Neil Taylor's belief in always using fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients. You'll find lots of infusions, such as the current bourbon sour with candied rhubarb-infused Bulleit, as well as spiced syrups, and even simply prosecco draped in local fruit.

Evelyn has kindly offered to share two original cocktails using both the Bittered Sling Moondog and the Peach & Pepper. Like Justin at Yew, Evelyn's culinary and modern approach to mixing drinks makes great use of the like-minded Kale & Nori products.
First up is a Dark & Stormy variation using tea and all-spice syrup that Evelyn describes as "soft, smokey, and smooth."

Bermuda Summers

2oz Gosling's Black Seal Rum
2oz House-made ginger red tea
3/4oz lemon juice
1/2oz all-spice syrup
Dash of Bittered Sling Moondog Extract

Shake all ingredients with ice and serve in a tall glass over crushed ice.

All-Spice Syrup
1/2L water
2 teaspoons ground all-spice (nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, anise)
1L sugar
Add all-spice to the water and bring to a boil. Add sugar and lower heat to medium-low and stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved.


Next is another of her classic twists, this time on the iconic James Bond drink, The Vesper, where she uses lemon perserve-infused vodka with (one of my favourites) Martin Miller's gin, and swaps Kina Lillet with the marvelously fruity Pineau de Charentes fortified wine. Infusing the vodka with preserves gives a much fuller, stronger, and sweeter flavour than just infusing with peel, and at Uva they use 3-month-old preserves infused for a week in jars with the vodka. If trying a similar infusion at home, Evelyn offered her suggestion of doing 5 lemons per 750mL of vodka, simply using thin peels and letting them sit together in an air-tight jar for a week.
Evelyn explains that this drink "is shaken, not sitrred, as this is the very phrase that conjures up images of Sean Connery, natty in his tuxedo about to break the bank at baccarat."

Vesper Lynd

1.5oz Lemon-Infused Sobieski Vodka
1oz Martin Miller's Gin
1/2oz Pineau de Charentes
Dash of Bittered Sling Peach & Pepper

Combine ingredients with ice, shake, and strain into a cocktail glass.

Next time you're downtown, make a stop at Uva and give the drinks a try - particularly the Vesper Lynd as the Peach & Pepper extract is of limited supply, or even just the ever-changing Uva Bourbon Sour made with seasonal fruit (currently it's strawberry). Maybe even have a little dinner at Cibo first, or plan a trip the next time they have some live music (check the website here).
Thanks to Evelyn for her contribution to the Bittered Sling series!



See the Bittered Sling introduction here
See Dani Tatarin from The Keefer mix something up in her Chinese apothecary-style here
See Justin Taylor from Yew mix up some infused and barrel-aged spirits here
See Jay Jones from Market create a spirit-forward classic here 
See Grant Sceney use his barrel-aged Cointreau here
See David Wolodidnyk's world-wide competition-winning cocktail here

Bittered Sling Extracts: Justin Taylor at Yew

Our next contribution comes from a first-timer on this site, Mr. Justin Taylor - lead bartender at Yew Restaurant and Bar in the Four Seasons in downtown Vancouver. Originally from Ontario, Justin brings over fifteen years of experience behind the bar and some award-winning efforts, including placing second in the Giffard Iron Bar competition last year and going on to represent Canada in the Giffard International Cocktail Challenge held in France. His approach to drink creation is bold and modern, using barrel-aging on both his cocktails and his spirits, making liqueurs in-house, and infusing with spice and even actual pieces of meat (buffalo in vodka - for real). A look over Yew's cocktail list shows a lot of classic inspiration, such as the "Golden Eye," a Vesper-variation using house barrel-aged genever, vodka, and Lillet, or the "Yew Gimlet," adding Aperol and house-made Velvet Falernum to the gin and lime mix. Continue on, though, and you'll find some pretty crazy combinations, like the "Crow's Foot" using single malt whisky, Lichi Li, melon, vanilla, cranberry and lemon, or "La Bonne Mere" with Fernet Branca, chocolate, strawberry, and sparkling wine (I know, right?). He even gets into shrub territory with his "Ebi Sunomono" mixture of gin, cucumber, yuzu, and rice wine vinegar.
His menu does have a selection of great classics too for the less adventurous, including the less-seen Lucien Gaudin and Twentieth Century. 

It's plain to see that Kale & Nori's approach to drink is in line with Justin's, so the Bittered Sling Extracts are a good fit. Justin has generously shared three of his original cocktails today, each using a different extract, and each using a different technique for creation.

First we start with his "Rosemary Collins," for which he infuses Bombay Sapphire Gin with rosemary. According to Justin, "the Bittered Sling Cranberry really adds a depth to this simple and refreshing cocktail."

Rosemary Collins

1.5oz Rosemary-Infused Bombay Sapphire Gin
1/2oz cane sugar syrup
1/4oz lemon juice
1/4oz lime juice
5 dashes Bittered Sling Cranberry
 
Combine ingredients, shake with ice, and pour over ice in a highball. Top with soda and garnish with rosemary and cranberries.

Next up is a twist on the New Amsterdam cocktail in which Justin uses Boomsma genever that he has aged in an American oak barrel with medium char for six weeks. Justin describes this one as "a slow-sipping cocktail with deep complex flavours from the Bittered Sling extract and the oak-aging." Presumably you could try this one with an oude genever, but we can't get any here in Canada, so this is an altogether fun and adventurous experiment!

Red Light

2oz Barrel-Aged Boomsma Genever
3/4oz Amaro Ramazzotti
5 dashes Bittered Sling Crabapple & Cardamom
 
Combine all ingredients with ice and stir. Pour over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a "generous spray" of orange oil.

Lastly, we have a cocktail that will be used for the second installment of the Yew Shake It competition (see below), Justin's "Unusual Margarita." Here he goes a step even further, aging a 4:1 mixture of Hornitos Tequila and St. Germain elderflower liqueur in a medium charred American oak barrel for four weeks. The Moondog bitters "bring spice to this cocktail and makes for the most unusual Margarita."

Unusual Margarita

2.5oz Barrel-Aged Tequila and St. Germain
2oz pineapple juice
1/2oz lime juice
5 dashes Bittered Sling Moondog
 
Combine all ingredients with ice in a mason jar and shake.


There are some fun programs happening at Yew as well, if you haven't made it down yet, such as the "We Make It "Yew" Shake It," where the bartenders combine your ingredients for you in a mason jar, and you shake it. Take your picture while you're shaking and post it to their (or Justin's) Facebook or Twitter pages, and he best (or worst?) picture will win you a gift certificate to Yew. They've also got Foxy Friday's happening each week - show up wearing some pink and you get a free appetizer and drink special. Altogether fun stuff.

Thanks to Justin and the Yew team for this contribution!


See the Bittered Sling introduction here
See Dani Tatarin from The Keefer mix something up in her Chinese apothecary-style here
See Evelyn Chick from Uva Wine Bar create some twisted classics here 
See Jay Jones from Market create a spirit-forward classic here  
See Grant Sceney use his barrel-aged Cointreau here
See David Wolodidnyk's world-wide competition-winning cocktail here

Bittered Sling Extracts: Danielle Tatarin at The Keefer

To kick off the local originals we are heading to Vancouver's Chinatown and visiting The Keefer. Bar manager - and President of the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association - Dani Tatarin runs a unique program here that ties modern 'mixology' techniques of infusing spirits and syrups and making bitters in-house with Chinese apothecary medicine. So, at The Keefer, the syrup you get in your gin or whiskey sour variation won't just be a typical fruit or spice, it's likely to be astragalus, ginseng, or another root you probably haven't heard of with health benefits you probably didn't realize. The new cocktail menu (which just kicked off last week) features a little glossary at the back describing each of these herbs and roots and their medicinal uses, so the experience is full of fun and learning. It's one of the coolest-looking bars you'll see, and while the cocktail list is full of outlandish and exciting things you'll want to try, everyone there is talented and can just as easily make you a perfect classic cocktail.
You can see an old review of The Keefer here, along with their contribution to Fernet February.

Dani is one of the handful of bartenders not only working with the Bittered Sling Extracts but also with a cocktail using them on her menu. Today she shares with us the recipe for the "Haokan," a gin sour with some depth and bitterness, and a ton of herbal flavours. The simple syrup is infused with pomelo rose tea (pomelo being a south/south-east Asian citrus fruit similar to grapefruit), not only adding subtle flavours but also a big list of proposed health benefits - as is Dani's way. Kale & Nori's health-forward bitters fit perfectly.


Haokan

2 oz Hendricks Gin

1/2 oz Aperol

1/2 oz Pomelo Rose Tea Syrup

3/4 oz Lemon Juice

1 egg white

3 dashes Bittered Sling Crabapple & Cardamom Bitters

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. 

As with any egg white drink (and as I've discussed numerous times before!), add the egg white to your tin first so you don't accidentally get shells or yolks into your booze, and dry-shake without ice first to help the egg emulsify, then add ice and shake again. 

Take a trip to The Keefer and give their new menu a try, and while you're at it, drop by Legacy Liquor and pick up a bottle of the Crabapple & Cardamom extract from Bittered Sling to try something similar at home!

See the Bittered Sling introduction here
See Justin Taylor from Yew mix up some infused and barrel-aged spirits here
See Evelyn Chick from Uva Wine Bar create some twisted classics here

See Jay Jones from Market create a spirit-forward classic here 
See Grant Sceney use his barrel-aged Cointreau here
See David Wolodidnyk's world-wide competition-winning cocktail here

Bittered Sling Extracts!

It's about time to start another series, and my hope was to do a shorter one that better showcases Vancouver. The perfect opportunity arose with a brand new line of tinctures from Vancouver's own Kale & Nori Culinary Arts Inc, a marriage (figuratively and literally) between "mixologist" Lauren Mote and chef Jonathan Chovancek.
Kale & Nori is a catering and event company "specializing in delicious, ethical, and seasonal cuisine paired with avant-garde mixology focusing on the finest Canadian artisinal products." The tinctures, or "extracts" as they call them, are aptly named Bittered Sling (after the original name given to the "cock-tail") and have a full and unique range of flavours.
The products just launched this month, but there are a handful of Canadian bartenders who have already been working with them, so this series will be both a showcase for Vancouver-made bitters (about time!) and for some of the talent we have here - including a handful of newcomers to the site!

I'll let Lauren introduce the products herself:

"In 2008, bartender Lauren Mote started making extracts and bitters for the sheer love of science and experimentation. After the creation of over 43 different kinds, they developed into an award-winning cocktail program, and hundreds of worthy cocktails. In 2010, Mote partnered in life and business with Chef Jonathan Chovancek, and Kale & Nori was born. Over the next two years they would tirelessly develop recipes and applications for extracts to become the bridge between culinary and the cocktail. Bittered Sling Extracts is a pipe-dream come to a tasty fruition, celebrating what beautiful ingredients can provide the palate, plate and potion. We pride ourselves on accurate research and application in order to bring you a product that does as much for the mind and body as it does for the palate. Each extract promotes something different, but all of our extracts promote longevity."

Why "extracts"? I asked Lauren if all the products are technically bitters in that each of them contain some bittering agent - as calling them "extracts" might imply that they do not - but her response was that "extracts is the term we use to seamlessly slide into the kitchen and the bar." These are actual bitters and should be treated as such in a cocktail.

The Refinery used to host a series called "Cocktail Kitchen" (both of which were programs run by Lauren), which was a challenge to the chef and a guest bartender to create a number of pairings based on a particular food style and a particular spirit. Twice a month Kale & Nori host a similar competition called "Bittered Sling Bistro" at Legacy Liquor Store, again having a feature bartender create cocktails to pair with a multi-course meal. All of these programs focus on the union between cuisine and mixed drink, and the Bittered Sling Extracts were designed for the same purpose.

With that in mind, each of the extract descriptions on the Kale & Nori site is accompanied by both drinking and cooking suggestions. Check it out by clicking here!
Below is each flavour and just their description from the site...

Moondog
This aromatic extract is smoky, earthy, rich and complex. This extract works best as a bridge between ingredients. This extract is loaded with natural anti-inflammatory and digestive aids, and developed in part using the properties of Ayurvedic study. Most notable in a classic sour or with dark spirits.

Denman
This aromatic extract is inherently spicy and complex, a celebration of Vancouver’s Denman Street with a rich combination of several Asian & sub-Gobi cultural spices! This extract is loaded with natural anti-inflammatory and digestive aids, and developed in part using the properties of Ayurvedic study. Adds a long finish to any spirit or drink.

Grapefruit & Hops
Bitter and herbaceous grapefruit with notes of spring and forest. The fresh-cut grass of the extract family. Made with Organic wild cascade hops from the B.C. interior region. Grapefruit is a natural lymphatic stimulant, promoting muscle and joint health, and enhances the body’s circulation. Hops act as an effective sedative, relieves insomnia and is widely used as a nerve remedy. This extract LOVES white spirits.

Orange & Juniper
Floral, bitter, sweet, sour and bright. This extract captures the multi-level flavour notes of the perfect sweet orange. She lends herself well to all spirits, but white ones in particular! Orange is a natural relief of heartburn, and strengthens the heart, and her muscles. Juniper is a naturally effective relief in joint pain, arthritis and has been used for centuries to help calm coughs, bronchitis and gastro-intestinal infections.

Plum & Rootbeer
This is an extract celebrating the kid-like memories of the rootbeer float. Spicy, rich, everlasting and velvety, a beautiful way to share the ripe B.C. prune-plum all year round. This extract is loaded with natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and digestive aids, and developed in part using the properties of Ayurvedic study.

Peach & Pepper (seasonal)
Stone fruit extracts make the mouth sing, with a luscious palate coating character. The peach & pepper marks the most successful combination of flavours with brilliant Okanagan stone fruits. This extract contains natural stomach fortifiers, and may relieve high body temperatures and fever, while being a mild digestive.

Cranberry (seasonal)
Tart and bright, this extract acts partly as an acidulated compound, adding the “right stuff” where you need it most! This extract contains naturally strong antioxidants, anti-adhesive properties, with excellent benefits for the urinary tract, cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Crabapple & Cardamom (seasonal)
Never have we tasted an apple like this. The crabapple has high skin tannins, brilliant colour and a remarkably intense flavour. This gorgeous extract pairs perfectly with cardamom, and brings a subtly sweet depth and captivating perfume to all applications. This extract contains natural fever, digestive, and aphrodisiac properties, using 3000 year old theory and Ayurvedic ingredients.

Elderberry (seasonal)
We were pleasantly surprised to experience the shift in flavour, character and composition of our elderberry extract. What started as a bright, tart, delicate, tiny fruit, transformed into a naturally beautiful extract with subtle hints of anise, licorice and herbaceous, earthy character. This extract contains natural influenza relieving properties, and has been used as such for centuries throughout several cultures. Perfect for white spirits.


The Bittered Sling Extracts launched this month (June 2012) across Canada, through Qualifirst Foods Ltd. & Far-Met Importers Ltd. You can get some at the Legacy Liquor Store in Vancouver, and for the American readers - they will be available at Tales of the Cocktail 2012 (July 25th-29th) in New Orleans at the "Bookstore" and "Bitters Market."

Stay tuned for some original cocktails using this exciting new line of products!


See Dani Tatarin from The Keefer make her "Haokan" cocktail here
See Justin Taylor from Yew mix up some barrel-aged spirits here
See Evelyn Chick from Uva Wine Bar create some twisted classics here
See Jay Jones from Market create a spirit-forward classic here 
See Grant Sceney use his barrel-aged Cointreau here
See David Wolodidnyk's world-wide competition-winning cocktail here