Recipe Corner: The Bijou

The Bijou is one of the first cocktails I fell in love with. Bijou is French for jewel, and the ingredients refer to individual jewels. Gin symbolizes diamonds, the sweet vermouth symbolizes rubies, and the Chartreuse represents emeralds. I’m not sure what made me fall in love with this drink. It’s certainly strong and decidedly herbaceous…which I guess I lean towards. Try one out next time you’re at Fiola. It’s a perfect cool weather drink.  

Ingredients

1.5 oz Gin (I prefer Ransom’s Old Tom)

1 oz Sweet Vermouth (I prefer Carpano Antica)

1 oz Green Chartreuse

Healthy dash of orange bitters

Procedure

Add all ingredients to mixing glass.

Add ice. 

Stir into your favorite cocktail glass. 

Garnish with an orange twist.

Cheers,

Jeff

Build a Better Bar IQ: Vermouth

Whenever someone asks for a martini at the bar, I inevitably follow that order with a question: Would you like any vermouth in that?  Some people look at me like I asked them if I could take a swing at them with a baseball bat.  Others say, “Only a splash” or “In and out”.  It pains me vermouth has lost its place in the martini or depending on the style, as an aperitif.

Most people’s first interaction with vermouth was with that bottle that sat on their parents’ liquor shelf for years. You reached for it, tasted it, and immediately thought what evil person would ever invent such a thing! The first problem with this is that vermouth probably should have been thrown out the week after G. Gordon Liddy was caught snooping around the Watergate, and you tried that bottle when Reagan was shot outside of the Hilton.

You see, vermouth is wine based, and just like that bottle you opened two nights ago, it has a limited life span.  Its origins go back to Turin, Italy when Carpano started making the first branded vermouth in 1786. Turin was then in the Savoy Kingdom which occupied most of northwest Italy. At the time, the winemakers didn't make the best wines (Hard to imagine that being the case given the great wines of the Piedmont today). As a result, both winemakers and shopkeepers started adding various herbs and spices to the wines to make them more palatable. One of the more popular additions was wormwood, or as the Germans called it, “vermud”, hence the name vermouth.

To me, vermouth is essential in a martini. I love the multi-layered flavors coming through. At home, I might be one of the more liberal users of vermouth. My martinis are equal parts vermouth and gin. I love vermouth on the rocks during the summer. That limited lifespan I referred to earlier? I don’t have to worry about that. Now, I don’t ask you to love it as much as I do, but I will ask you give it a chance. You’ll be glad you did. 

-- Jeff

Bar Manager and Mixologist Jeff Faile

Ask the Bar Man, Jeff Faile

Part of my job is to describe certain liquors and answer questions about how people should make drinks at home.  If we're busy at the bar, it's hard for me to go as in depth as I'd like to. A new feature in the bar newsletter allows you to ask any and all questions you'd like. Fire away! Send your questions to info@fioladc.com.

Q: I always seem to end up hosting impromptu cocktail parties or gatherings at my place, what should I always have on hand to entertain?

-Nicole, Glover Park

A: I always recommend concentrating on the basics in situations like this. There's no need to go out and grab a bottle of the hottest new liqueur that is used in only one cocktail. You should stick with the classic ingredients and cocktails. Think of it this way, they're classics for a reason. Plus, do you really want to pour out your expensive single barrel bourbon for creepy Ken the copy boy? No.

So, what should you always have?  For gin, let's go with Plymouth. It's easy drinking, easily mixable, and makes one great martini. Vodka? If you must stock vodka, go with Boyd and Blair. It's a potato based vodka out of Pennsylvania. Simply put, it's the best unflavored flavored vodka. Bourbon? Maker's Mark. Not overly pricy, and it's what I use in my Manhattans at Fiola. For rum there's many options. Track down a bottle of El Dorado Spiced rum as a nice alternative to Captain Morgan. For a sipper try Zaya 12 year from Trinidad. Tequila? Track down Milagro; inexpensive and half the price of some of the more overrated tequilas out there.

That's the base spirits for you. For mixers, there's plenty of inexpensive options. I think everyone should have a bottle of Campari and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino at home. These two knock out the Negroni (with gin) and the Manhattan (the vermouth plus Makers). You should probably have a bottle of dry vermouth for your martini drinkers as well. Grab a bottle of Dolin Dry for this and you'll see what vermouth should be added to your next martini. What else? Fever Tree produces a great tonic water for a mixer as well as a ginger ale. Of course, there's some obvious selections like club soda and a cola of some sort.

Think of this way. It's a cocktail party with friends. You're not setting up the latest speakeasy in your house. Keep it simple and people will be happy with the options. They're getting some free booze and hanging out with friends and coworkers...oh, and creepy Ken. Who invited him anyway?

- Jeff

New Year's Drinking Resolutions

I fully admit I’m a creature of habit. That can come from the need to have everything in exactly the right place behind the bar so I can get your drinks out faster, the rapid onset of OCD because of the aforementioned need for placement, or perhaps it’s just, well, I’m boring. This year, I promise to expand my drinking horizons.

• Drink more brown spirits: See, this is where it gets tricky. I’ve always fancied bourbon and scotch, but it’s time to branch out. I have my usual rotation of bourbons at the house or when I go out. It’s time to spice things up. Let’s drink rye this year! A nicely aged rye can compete with any bourbon out there and even add some spice to the mix. For scotch? Well, I admit I like the peaty Islays. Let’s go to the other side of the world and make it the year of Japanese single malts! Has anyone had Nikka, yet? It’s new to DC, and I think it could be my single malt of choice this year.
• Drink lighter alcohol cocktails/spirits: Part of my job is to go out and drink. Sounds tough, doesn’t it? When you’re at a function with people of importance, you certainly don’t want to have more than you should of the potent drinks. This year when I go out, I’m going to start having more spritzes. The Aperol Spritz is perfect for this. You get tremendous flavor of orange, rhubarb, and gentian from the Aperol with the alcohol content no more than a glass of wine. Add some prosecco and club soda and you have yourself a refreshing cocktail that won’t make you the, um, life of the party. Another good way? Try some vermouth on the rocks with a twist of citrus. I’m not talking about your parents’ 6 year old bottle of Martini & Rossi that has 2 inches of dust on it. Splurge on a bottle of Carpano Antica or even go with Cocchi Vermouth di Torino at half the price. Want something lighter? A Dolin Blanc with a slice of orange is perfect in the summer.
• Invest in a good tequila: We’ve all had the moment with tequila in college. That harsh shot with lime and salt was the cause of far too many rough mornings in the world. Tequila has undergone a renaissance, however. Even a silver tequila from Milagro provides a taste that doesn’t need lime and salt to make it palatable. My goal this year is to own a beautiful anejo. Anejo tequila is aged in oak barrels from 1 to 3 years and can be as elegant as a sipping whisk(e)y. They can range anywhere from honey notes to tropical notes depending on the producer. 

There you have it; 3 ways I plan on drinking better this year. Let’s all make it a point to branch out and try new things. Let me know what some of yours are.

Cheers,

Jeff Faile

Fiola Bar Manager & Mixologist

Cocktail Corner

President Obama’s second term will be inaugurated on January 22 so for a limited time we’re mixing up a classic rum cocktail, El Presidente, to mark the occasion.  The El Presidente is a Prohibition-era cocktail of Cuban origin (though accounts differ as to exactly where and by whom), created for Americans who wanted to drink legally during Prohibition in an exotic locale. 

Jeff Faile's El Presidente cocktail

Aged rum gives the El Presidente a rounded smoothness, while white, semi-dry French style vermouth lends earthiness. Curaçao provides the sweet notes, tempered by the tart vibrancy of grenadine.

No matter what your political persuasion, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate with this colorful cocktail classic.  The El Presidente will be available from Thursday, January 17 through Tuesday, January 22 for Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike – this drink is nonpartisan!

Cheers,

Jeff Faile

Bar Manager & Mixologist

Jeff Faile