Jan 2010... A look back

Well we barged into the new decade with one of the funnest months in recorded history... Not sure how long we have been recording fun levels, but none the less, what-a-month it has been! We thought we would share with y'all a list of some of our favorites from this month and see what everyone else thinks. Thank you to those who have helped us usher in the new decade in decadence and style, enjoy.

Menu Cocktail of the Month:
Oaxaca Old Fashion (1.5oz Forta Leza Reposado Tequila, .5oz Metl Mezcal, barspoon of Agave Nectar, 2 dashes Angostura Bitters, stirred with cracked ice)

Off the Menu Cocktail of the Month:
Classic Manhattan (2oz Buffalo Trace, 1oz Antica Sweet Vermouth, stirred with cracked ice, served up in a chilled coupe)

Party of the Month:
All Things Rad - January 21st: The night the pool table lost its virginity... need we say more?

Biggest Party:
Saul Q's Birthday Finale w/ DJs I show Myself and Jay Dred- Glad we could make it a good one buddy!

Best Reason to come in for Happy Hour in January:
$5 Moscow Mules

Best Name for a Night:
Smooth and Sexy Sundays with Sterling Barkus

Movie of the Month Club (seen at El Dorado):
Holy Mountain
Garbage Pale Kids
Willow
Never Ending Story

Thanks,
- J40

A Sleazy Introduction...

Last night was the first installment of 'Sleaze Pleaze' – Mark E Quark's monthly session at ELDo... the results? non-stop disco debauchery, art, and a tight crew of very happy folks! It wasn't a wall-to-wall mess of people, but those who were in attendance enjoyed good drinks, great music, and a dash of sleaze...

Need I say more?

Check the next Sleaze Pleaze, February 4th. We'll be celebrating Mark's Birthday. Should be fun!

– A

Boys & Girls goes BANANAS

This Saturday at El Dorado, Boys & Girls has a very special guest - Brooklyn DJ/Producer Sammy Bananas. On his last visit, Sammy had the dance floor in a frenzy at Voyeur. He's had 2 releases on A-trak's infamous Fool's Gold record label, and another one about to drop on Jan 19th for the self titled debut release of his group Telephoned which includes songstress Maggie Horn. He can also be seen dropping DJ sets all over the country from Blow Up San Francisco to Control in LA. Be prepared for a night full of indie dance panty droppers, which of course will include a ton of his own tracks and remixes such as, Passion Pit's "The Reeling", Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say," and a ton more.

Adam Salter & Andrew Decade will be opening for Sammy and the ladies of CultCultureClothing.com will be present doing what they do best. To RSVP email asalter1@hotmail.com for free entry before 11pm.

A preview of what Saturday will bring.....

Boys&Girls RapturePanic from mac nguyen on Vimeo.

You so Nasty

Ora Le!! DJ (pronounced dee-yay) Saul Q is bringing us our first "OG" hip hop show courtesy of homegrown MCs Broken Dreams. Saul... "You So Nasty!!" Wonder what classic cocktail uses "Gin & Juice" ?

*THE MARTINI COCKTAIL*

Gin

Dry Vermouth

Bitters

Stir and strain into an ice cold cocktail glass. Garnish with a manicured lemon zest. Prepare yourself a nice chair, maybe a book... hell, you could be playing video games, mating, making dinner, whatevs! We guarantee that if this little thing is by your side, life will be better!! Promise!

PS: NO VODKA! The Martini is a recipe! If you change a recipe, you change the name. Seems logical, right? If I used cranberries in muffins, instead of blueberries, would I call them cran-blueberry muffins? DUMB!! Therefore, if I go and swap the gin for vodka and add some apple pucker for giggles... NOT A 'TINI' of any sort!!

I apologize for my obvious biases. A Kangaroo, more commonly known as (ugh) a vodka martini, can be ideal for someone seeking a more subtle beverage option. However, the O.G. is unparalleled when one begins to appreciate why something can be so simple, yet complex, in the same moment. That, my friends, is the definition of elegance.

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I've omitted notes on execution. We'll revisit those. First, here's our very brief historical bit...

This lovely beverage came into fruition sometime after the 1870's, when the stateside folk started importing French Vermouth – aka dry vermouth. There's no doubt that the Martinez is its predecessor (a gin cocktail with sweet vermouth, orange bitters, and a touch of maraschino liqueur). However, the origin of either the Martinez or the Martini cocktail is still a fierce debate. Several theories emerged, but little has been proven.

What we do know about the Martini is when it became popular, and what happened as a result. Because of wild popularity among dignitaries, the Martini was extremely marketable. It found it's way into the hands of hollywood moguls and eventually onto the big screen.

One of the more notable silver-screen advocates of the Martini was the Thin Man series... In his cameo, our hero Nick is found instructing the bewildered staff on proper Martini service. Dude walks into the bar and makes his own Martini!! Um, Awesome! (I would have scoffed at a dude like this a year ago. Now? Definite props)

As a result of films like Thin Man, Hollywood began to profoundly impact drinking habits. Rather than staying true to a recipe, the Martini was swept up by the rhetoric of the big screen. The fatal blow? "Vodka Martini - Shaken, not Stirred" UUUUUUGGGHHHHHHHHH!!! So, it was... and would be, until folks started diggin' up old cocktail books and realizing the "OLD" way was the GOOOOOOD way!

In fact, because this cocktail, when compared to others, was by far most frequently delivered in a cocktail glass, said glass would eventually be recognized as a Martini glass... And that's why folks took the liberty of naming whatever they threw in the thing a 'tini' - WTF people!

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Let's get back to the 'whys and hows'

First, the GIN

We use Plymouth Gin because it features a well-balanced blend of herbs and spices. London Dry can have a tendency to be heavy on the juniper. Heavy juniper isn't bad, but we would rather control for this.

Next, French Vermouth

Dolin is currently our favorite brand.

it's recognizable in the drink, but light enough that it doesn't seize control of the gin.

Finally, the Bitters

We prefer orange bitters, although others – particularly scrappy's grapefruit bitters or Angostura – might do amazing things for you. Why is orange bitters important to us? Because it helps dig up all the little citrus notes in a good gin while enhancing the complexity of the vermouth. After learning from friends in the industry, we're pretty stoked about a 50/50 (1:1) mix of Regan's #6 (herbal/spice driven) and Fee's Orange (very orange-ish and pretty sweet).

Here's our favorite recipe:

1.5 oz Plymouth Gin

.5 oz Dolin French Vermouth

1 dash 50/50 Orange bitters

PREP: Add the above ingredients to an iced mixing glass. Stir with an awesome bar spoon. Strain into an ice cold cocktail coupe (if the stem of the glass is cold to the touch, the glass is ready) and zest with a lemon.

Notes:

*Why is the drink so small? Because temperature is essential... As the temp rises, so does the intense reminder that you're drinking practically straight liquor. Increases in temp also ruin the integrity of the vermouth, a fortified white wine. When was the last time you really enjoyed drinking a glass of warm white wine? Not that memorable, eh!?!

*The measurements we've included are completely subjective. It's a simple 3:1 ratio. If you really love vermouth, add more and scale back the portion of gin... If you really love gin, try the opposite... if you really like orange bitters... yadayadayada...

*For ice, try freezing a couple shallow tuber-wares filled with distilled water ($1 for a gallon at the grocery store). When you're ready to start mixing, have some of your make-shift popsicles in one hand with a large chisel in the other, and crack away. You'll have plenty of LARGE, beautiful rocks. Why large ice? (1) its high-density and reduced surface area allows for less dilution/more control while dropping temps to arctic status ASAP, and (2) it looks cool! One gallon of distilled water will give you enough ice for roughly 15-20 cocktails. If you have treated water (reverse osmosis is best), even better. Why all the filtering nonsense? Clarity in ice... they look like freakin' diamonds!

*Frozen glassware is best (the trick with the Martini is bone chilling cold temps). If the glass has a nice wide/short stem, the freeze will last. Also, the rounded edges will help keep the liquid in the cup. Note good old Nick's glass in the pic above. He's a G. 007? Not so much.

*If time permits, take the extra care to manicure your lemon zest (simply, cut the rough edges from lemon peel to form a clean rectangular strip). Then, pinch your zest over the beverage without cracking the peel, and place on the edge of the glass. Not everyone loves to have peel in, and it's an extra step that shows you're a considerate person. The care that goes into this cocktail is what really stuns guests.

*Shaken or Stirred? Simple... We prefer to stir. Why? because agitating the vermouth in a shake will cause you beverage to be cloudy. We would rather leave the guest feeling as though they have a beautiful and delicate beverage in their hand. Does the shake improve the flavor? Nope. Does it ruin flavor? Maybe... if we're to agree that the presentation, or performance, of creating a beverage has some type of influence on the our guest's impression, then the subtle and delicate process of stirring seems far more appropriate than the intensity of a hard shake.

As you can tell, there's a multitude of ways to personalize the recipe. That's what makes the beverage so special. In an outstanding post, Mr. Huegel claims that there are more than 9,000 ways to make a REAL Martini. With the recent developments in bitters and gin categories, I would bet the # is well over 10,000. Also, the above estimates don't take into consideration variables like method and performance – which, as we discussed, is undoubtedly related to the impression of our guest. That would put us well into the millions of possible outcomes for ONE DRINK! For this reason, it's fair for Mr. Bonné to claim that, "[He] can't tell you how to make the perfect martini. No one can. For the martini is the Rorschach test of cocktails. It is a window into the imbiber's psyche." BOOYAA!

So, how will you have your Martini?

Slanté

- The Management

LT Dance

Enjoy:

To Be a Dash, Or Not to Be a Dash... The Ranting of a Cocktail Nerd

READER BEWARE!!! This post is on intergalactic levels of NERDness! It's intended to help those worried about making consistently good drinks. If you're one such person, read on. Otherwise, if you'd like to take things easy, and enjoy something a bit less nerdy, FEAST YOUR EYES on THISSS!

Wow... back on topic... Where was I? Nerds... bitters... Yep!

At Eldo, we're becoming more and more aware of the pre-prohibition bartender's long-lost techniques, as well as the modern folks who pledge to continue the efforts of their predecessors. The goal? Bring the profession back to common knowledge as a true craft.

At Eldo, we took a major step when we created Housemade Bitters. Although, this only sparked another big concern: Accurate Measurement.

Making a quality cocktail is no challenge. All ya do is follow a recipe, right!?! Try making that cocktail consistently good... Say a hundred or so back-2-back-2-back-2... Then, try to teach a group of people how to make that cocktail, and tell me if they're able to create the drink exactly as you, or each other do... A slight adjustment to the amount of booze, syrup, or citrus will dramatically change the quality of a drink. This is why we jigger when constructing drinks. This principle is easily understood when dealing with the cocktail world's most EXTREME – yes, I used extreme – ingredient: BITTERS (it's like Mountain Dew to the Sky-Diving industry... sorta)

That being said, many of the greatest cocktail recipes require bitters for good reason. There's no doubt they have a profound influence on the flavor of a cocktail. Only one drop (not a dash!) will enhance – or ruin – the flavor of a drink. So, it's no wonder that the folks who make bitters use dasher lids to control the amount dispensed from their bottles.

When it came time to bottle our bitters, we used eye droppers. But how does a dropper equate to a dasher? Mmmmm...

Experiment 1: How many drops are in a Dash?

We started by saving the SECOND of two consecutive dashes in a measuring cup. Why the second? Because, the first dash was consistently smaller – roughly half the size.

Then, we used a small eye dropper (one that fits a 2 oz droppper vile) to soak up the dash. One dash was the maximum capacity of a full draw (roughly 25 drops). We tested several different dashes to be sure. Each was the same result! This was great for us because it guaranteed that the full draw of an eye dropper was "A Dash" -- Or was it...

Somewhere along the experiment, I discussed the topic with a friend in the industry, and he had to go and drop a bomb on our little party. NOT LIKE THAT... you have filthy minds! No, no, no... He pointed out that different brands of bitters use different size lids! To which I reply, "WHAT THE DEUCE!"

Experiment 2: How many dashes are in a fluid oz.?

We started by using a 10 oz bottle of Angostura. We averaged 32 dashes per oz. Then, we tested a different brand of bitters. 32 dashes out of a 4.5 oz Peychaud's bottle was less than the Angostura. We checked a 4 oz bottle of Angostura. 32 dashes from the smaller ango yielded significantly LESS! Crazy! And ALL the lid's openings were different radius, too. (kinda hard to tell in the pics, though)

Imagine how this could change the quality of your drinks. Let's say we have two different size bottles of the same bitters, in two side-by-side service wells. You could order the exact same cocktail as your buddy from a different bartender and, even if they were made in the exact same method, they would taste significantly different. This becomes crucial when our most popular menu item at Eldo, the moscow mule, requires angostura bitters. Shit!

Our solution? bake a cake! Well, not really, but sorta... So, what would you do if you had a pretty good idea how many folks were comin' to your party? PREpare FOOD, right!!! Now, that we have a fairly good idea that 32 dashes were in a fluid oz, we can make a big Ole' batch of a mixed drink, and divide it up for our friends (like a cake, get it! Nerd). Aka PUNCH.

On the other hand, it's pretty unreasonable if we make a big old thing of sauce that nobody wants to drink. So, are there other means for being precise when dashing? (Loaded Question)

We already talked about the eye dropper. But that can be a pain when you're haulin' out cocktails for a massive line-up of drooling, cocktail-thirsty minions. Here's a fancy alternative: Japanese Dasher Bottles

These bad boys are remarkably accurate. They're roughly half a standard dash (if the Angostura 10 oz is our standard). Even the first dash is identical to the second. In the below pic, the left is one dash of Angostura, and the left is two dashes from the Japanese dasher.

If you're interested in Japanese dashers, hit up Cocktail Kingdom. They have a bunch of options, although they're worth a bit of coin. However, if accuracy is your thing, they're well worth the $$$.

In closing, here's an appendix of our findings. Hope they help! Also, feel free to test for yourself! If you discover an error in our results, by all means, we'll rep your findings. A great place to start? We didn't test how different levels of liquid in the dasher bottle change the amount dispensed. Hmmmmmm...

1 Liter = 33.8 oz
750ml = 25.4 oz
32 dashes = 1 oz

8 barspoons = 1 oz

1 dash = 1/4 bar spoon
apprx 25 drops = 1 dash

And for giggles, 1 lb (room temperature) limes = 6 oz juice... (FYI, cold limes/lemons will yield 1/3 less juice)

One major detail has been left out... all these numbers and science-type-things-and-stuff are only means to prepare. They grant a bartender time when making complex cocktails. They do nothing to help a server enact charisma, or win regulars. Now, that's a whole other post all togetha...

Nerd, OUT!

- Anthony

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This post is dedicated to the tireless efforts of a true craftsmen: Don Lee. Of PDT fame, Mr. Lee now meticulously monitors the outstanding program at Momofuku Ssam. He is passionate, organized, and systematic beyond belief. Every question I ask, he answers with patience. A modern professional working hard, without thanks, to rekindle a forgotten craft. Thank you, Don, for paving our way!

RETURN OF THE STYLE SHARK!!

Hey all Happy New Year hope you had some fun this holiday season! We sure had a blast on NYE so a big thank you to everyone who came out! This Saturday night we proudly welcome back Ben Decamp aka The Style Shark! Thats right, San Diego's premier nightlife photographer is fresh off the plane from his internship at Vice magazine in New York City. No doubt he is fired up and ready to capture all of this weekend's nightlife debauchery! DJ Groundfloor will be playing your favourite indie dance jams and your ferocious hosts Tommy and Walker will be stirring the party pot.

If you and your friends want to get in free b4 11 email full names to:

GROUNDFLOORONLINE@GMAIL.COM

See ya Saturday!!

Veep Reekins Presents: THE SHAKEDOWN

One of San Diego's most creative and inspiring DJs, Veep Reekins, has put together another multimedia event to be held at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge on Thursday, January 7th 2010. This particular gathering, "The Shakedown" will feature DJs Veep Reekins and Clean Cut sharing the 1's and 2's delivering the best in Ass-Shakin' Funk, Soul, Rare Hip-Hop Originals, and Classic Hip-Hop Booty-Shakers. Don't forget to rock deodorant cuz you'll be dancing till your wet! Also featured at "The Shakedown" is local upcoming artist, Eric Wixon. Expect to see him perfecting an all original canvas right in front of your eyes. His style and presence have been recognized by local as well as national art publications and his live work is well worth checking out. Additional multimedia talent includes the jewelry/accessory design of MissWax and Justine Esteban, a.k.a. Alajera Jewelry Design. Photography for the evening courtesy of Tay-J.

Thee First BOYS & GIRLS of 2010

New Years is done w/ and it's time to get 2010 underway. This Saturday marks the first BOYS & GIRLS of 2010 w/ musique provided by MR. BIGGS Vs. ADAM SALTER, and genres from Indie Rock, Indie Dance, Electro, Dubstep, Bassline, Nu-Disco, Etc! PLUS, your favorite party host ADRIENNE (aka Strawberry Greens) is back, so hide your Mules. Of course NORTON will be behind the lens capturing all of the antics you're ashamed to see once you are sober.

RSVP here to get in free before 11pm!