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Q & A with A.J. Rathbun
A.J. Rathbun, charismatic author of the IACP Award-nominated book Good Spirits, as well as Party Drinks!, and the upcoming Luscious Liqueurs and Party Snacks! (both out Fall 2008), answers questions about summertime cocktails and entertaining. To request a review copy of A.J.’s books, to excerpt the following text, or to arrange an interview, please contact us via the “press inquiries” form to the left.
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Q & A with A.J. Rathbun:
1 - Interest in mixology seems to be rising in the U.S. Why are more people now discovering the craft of the cocktail?
A.J. Rathbun: I think we’re in the midst of a second cocktailing revolution—and I say viva la revolution! This new popularity is due both to greater availability of more interesting liquors and liqueurs and to the increased interest in more out-of-the-ordinary culinary pursuits. Another reason is that there are currently so many excellent drink creators, both pros and amateurs, who are introducing the public to mixes they may not yet know.
2 - Can you recommend a drink for folks who might be new to mixing spirits?
A.J.: For the cocktail-making neophyte there are many classic and sure-to-become classic cocktails out there that rely on simple, effective, combinations of good ingredients and not on hard-to-find exotics or impossible bar-tool gymnastics. A great example is the Bronx (named for the zoo, by the way, and not the borough), which is gin, sweet and dry vermouth, and orange juice. Another good one—particularly nice if it’s just you and that special someone—is the Maiden’s Blush, which is gin, orange curaçao, lemon juice, and grenadine.
3 - Let’s say it’s Memorial Day, and you’re hosting the first outdoor cookout of the season. What drinks would you mix for all the friends who drop by? Can you offer tips for serving a large group?
A.J.: As Memorial Day affairs and cookouts can happen early in the day or late at night (depending on who has to work the next morning), I would consider a couple of options. If you’re having a gathering around noon, then maybe an American Champagne Cocktail would fit the national-holiday mood, and its combination of bourbon, orange juice, and Champagne will get things started right. For later afternoon and early evening parties, a Princess, with its mingling of lemoncello, club soda, and fresh raspberries would add a regally refreshing touch, or maybe try a punch bowl filled with Champagne Americana, which fits the theme and late spring taste buds via bourbon, orange Curacao, Champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup. All of these drinks are fairly easy to make for a large group, too, with construction that doesn’t involve a lot of shaking but solely some pouring and chopping. With bigger parties, you want to keep it fairly simple (while still keeping it tasteful), and do what you can early (squeezing juice, chopping garnishes, making enough simple syrup, for example), so that you, as host or hostess, still have time to enjoy the party. If you aren’t having a great time, no one will.
4 - Do you have a favorite summertime refreshing cocktail, something to sip by the pool to help beat the heat?
A.J.: There are so many amazing summertime cocktails (anything in the chapter entitled “Cool It Down” in my book Good Spirits fits the bill, I think) that it’s a shame to try a pin down a favorite. But I can say that I don’t consider summer really started until I’ve had my first Summer Beer, partially because it’s so refreshing, with a mixing of American-style lager beer, lemonade, vodka (which brings it all together, smoothing out the rough edges between the other two ingredients), and a hint of fresh lemon juice, and partially because having a Summer Beer really drives memories for me of lots of great past hot weather parties with friends.
5 - I want to be the host whose parties everyone wants to attend. What drinks should I be sure to have in my repertoire this year?
A.J.: If you want to try a new drink, I’ll suggest a couple of options. First, try something with the amazing French elderflower liqueur St. Germain, recently made available in the United States. My mix of choice is something that I created called the St. Eldercot, which is vodka, St. Germain, apricot brandy, a little fresh lemon juice, and a lemon twist. My second suggestion would be a drink called the Oriental, which is an older drink that I think should make a comeback, due to its ideal balance of rye, sweet vermouth, orange Curacao, and a hint of fresh lime juice. It’s perfect for those fall nights when there’s a chill in the air, and when you want to treat your cocktail-loving friends to an unburied classic.
6 - As someone with an obvious passion for spirits, it must be hard for you to choose a favorite drink. But do you have a reliable standby?
A.J.: Choosing a favorite is almost impossible—especially because I’m testing (or trying) new drinks all the time. What if that next one is the nectar that sets a standard never to be reached again? I do however, have seasonal standbys that I almost always return to at certain times of the year, due to how well they suit particular seasons for me, and due to the waves of pleasant nostalgia that usually accompany the drinks. I wouldn’t let the first weekend in May pass without the traditional Derby Mint Julep. At my house, we start bringing out the Summer Beers and Orange Bucks every time the summer sun starts beating down heavily. In the fall, I like to lean back on Spiced Cider, a recipe that dates back to Halloween parties my parents used to throw when I was a kid. Winter is broken up a bit, because I tend to fall back on a bubbly favorite, the French 75, to celebrate fashionable and fancy holiday parties, but also enjoy relying on a classic drink with a little backbone, the Manhattan, to remove a bit of the chill.
