For Your Fix on L.A.

Lambrusco Rosemary Gin Fizz photo by Claire Barrett

Ferget chocolates. I don’t know about you but nothing says “olive juice”(mouth it) like a custom-made cocktail. But out of curiosity, I asked some of L.A.’s top mixologists/bartenders what they consider to be the most romantic cocktail; specifically what would they serve their luh-vuh. I got some interesting answers, all seem to involve bubbly, and even a couple of recipes for you to try on your own special someone, be it for yourself or your SO.

For Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, The Liquid Muse and cocktail book author (Preggatinis), it’s all about her Lambrusco Rosemary Fizz, which is actually cited in her new cocktail book, The Bubbly Bride. “Originality is the key to a creative girl’s heart, so rather than the same old hum-drum champagne, surprise your sweetie with a red sparkling cocktail. I love Lambrusco, which is an Italian sparkling red wine – and I especially like it with the earthy rosemary nuances in this drink. Whether you’re getting married or having a simple romantic occasion, this is a drink to remember!”

Lambrusco Rosemary Fizz
by Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, The Bubbly Bride

• 1 orange wheel
• 3-4 fresh rosemary leaves
• 3/4 ounce Grand Marnier
• 4 ounces sparkling Lambrusco
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Muddle orange wheel and rosemary leaves in the bottom of mixing glass. Add Grand Marnier and shake with ice. Strain into a champagne coupe. Top with Lambrusco. Garnish with the sprig of fresh rosemary.

Aidan Demarest, The Edison and First and Hope: “Champagne. Girls think it’s harmless because it’s all bubbly but then it hits them. It’s a real panty dropper.”

Steve Livigni, of new rum bar La Descarga, offered a short and sweet: “A giant glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose with my girlfriend in it.”

For Pablo Moix, also of La Descarga, his idea of a “romantic cocktail” also involves effervescence. “Bubbles and strawberries have been a romantic staple for years but, I think that if you make it delicious and with a twist, raise the ABV of your cocktail just a little, it will get the romance started a little sooner.”

• 1 ounce Cazadores Blanco Tequila
• 1/2 ounce Lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce Lillet rouge
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• Top with Martini & Rossi Prosecco

Served in a flute and garnish with a strawberry.

Rhachel Shaw of Malo: “My barback made a Ramos Gin Fizz for his girlfriend once. Now she loves them so he makes them all the time despite the fact that they are a pain in the ass to make. I think it’s pretty romantic that he shakes his little arms off to make his lady happy.”

Rhachel also shared a V Day cocktail special they’re serving up at Malo: “Maybe it’s because I’m having a contrarian streak about Valentine’s Day but in addition to the other cocktail specials we’re having just for this weekend, I have one called the Lover’s Dare Margarita. It’s Ocho Tequila Reposado, Grand Marnier Centenaire, lime and agave. You also have the option of added salt which is Velvet De Guerande Sea Salt from France, which tastes like butter. It’s a $25 margarita. I don’t know if I’m looking to start couples a fightin’ [over its cost]. I might be. I like to think of it as the ‘Do these jeans make me look fat?’ of cocktails.”

Damian Windsor of Roger Room: “How about ‘the Pash,’ common slang in commonwealth countries  for French kissing? Not to be confused with an Australian kiss which is a French kiss down under…. [My wife] loves passionfruit, it’s very exotic, and just like love it is sweet and sour at the same time, a reminder that relationships are work.”

• 1 ounce passionfruit juice
• 1/2 ounce Aperol
• 3 ounces prosecco

Add ingredients to a mixing tin and stir before serving in a champagne flute.

Christmas is done. Now on to the next hyped-up holiday: New Year’s Eve! Since crowds and huge bar tabs soo aren’t my thing, I decided to throw my own sweet, little shindig this year. But the twist here is that this one will be low-key. No fancy dress-up. No djs. No crazy house party crowds. Just a girl and 20 to 30 or so of her best pallies. In any case, I started thinking about what to serve my peeps, other than plain bubbly. Fortunately I was able to score a couple of liquor sponsors, get a recipe from a renowned mixologist and came up with an inspired, chill way to toast the new year.

Here’s my drink list for the last day of 2009. Wait, is this too much booze?

Pinky Vodka (Flickr Shot by handbook)

THE VODKA

So I’m doubly indebted to Pinky Vodka. Not only did they sponsor our blogger prom this year but they sent me a couple of huuuge bottles for my intimate New Year’s Eve shindig. So yes, I will gladly shill for them. But, I can also do that without fear of tarnishing my rep as an appreciator of fine cocktails. See, Pinky may be pink but it’s not going for any gimmicky, clubby angle. Their vodka is only pink because it’s blended with 12 botanicals, most notably strawberries, rose petals and violets. So it’s flavored naturally and not by sweeteners and such. PLUS, it’s hand-blended by master wine tasters.

They also hired one of my fave cocktail consultants, and friend, Natalie Bovis-Nelsen aka The Liquid Muse, to design cocktail recipes for their vodka so I know it’s class all the way. Her newest is a champagne cocktail that’s perfect for toasting the new year.

Sparkling Pear
Recipe by Natalie Bovis-Nelsen

• 1 part Pinky Vodka
• 1/2 part elderflower liqueur
• 1/2 part pear nectar
• 1/4 part fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Splash of sparkling wine

Shake all ingredients, except for sparkling wine, over ice. Strain into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

THE PUNCH

Mixology maestro Vincenzo Marianella of Copa d’Oro was good enough to provide me with a whisky punch recipe that’s sure to please the crowd. Incidentally, it also just debuted at the Santa Monica bar.

2010 Punch
Recipe by Vincenzo Marianella

• 24 oz Sazerac Rye (1 bottle)
• 6 oz St Germain
• 6 oz Sweet Sherry
• 9 oz fresh lemon juice
• 12 oz organic pear juice
• 5-6 dashes grapefruit bitter
• 5-6 dashes orange bitter
• 24 oz Prosecco (1 bottle)

Add first six ingredients with full scoop of ice in the punch bowl. Stir gently while adding Prosecco, add more ice. Garnish with sliced pear and citrus.

THE WINE

Funny thing is that I was able to get a second booze sponsor! And all without any begging. Sandeman had originally approached me about checking out their Tawny Port (which would have been perfect during my dessert exchange earlier this month) but when I said I was interested in making cocktails, they shipped the Founders Reserve over along with a couple of recipes.

The Sandeman’s Sparkly is basically a Lady MacBeth, a blood-red champagne cocktail that was once served at the Edison. And the Diavlo with it’s use of tequila and my fave ginger beer sounds intriguing.

Sandeman’s Sparkler

• 1 part Founders Reserve Porto
• 3 parts Sparkling wine

Sandeman Diavlo

• 1 part Sandeman Founders Reserve Port
• 1 ½ parts Blanco Tequila
• ½ part fresh lime juice
• ¼ part simple syrup
• Ginger beer

Champie in a Can (Photo by LA-Story)

FOR THE MIDNIGHT TOAST: CHAMPAGNE IN A CAN

But the piece de resistance for my chillaxing New Year’s Eve party will be our clinking cans instead of schmancy champagne glass flutes come midnight. Niebaum-Coppola Winery, owned by director Francis Ford Coppola, makes Sofia blanc de blancs sparkling white in cute little pink cans complete with tiny sippy straws. Apparently it’s most popular in clubs and swanky pools, where glass is most def not allowed.

But I first encountered the champie in a can at some trailer-park themed barestaurant in New York and was surprised by how tasty it actually was. Made from Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat, it tastes of apple, melon and tangerine “with notes of bright lemon and honey evident on the refreshing, mouth-tingling finish.” (Winemaker’s notes)

You can get a four-pack (187ml a can) at the Wine House in West LA for $12.99 and $11.99 at BevMo. These are also really handy for picnics and celebrations on the go when you don’t want to deal with lugging glassware.

FOR THOSE BRAVING THE CROWDS

If you feel you really must get out to celebrate the new decade, you crazy bastards, here are some links of NYE event roundups, including dinners, bar events and clubs, for your consideration.

e*starLA: NYE Dinner-Party Roundup

LA Times: Ring in 2010: Los Angeles New Year’s Eve Parties

Los Angeles Magazine: Roundup: New Year’s Eve Planner

NBCLA: LA’s New Year’s Eve 2010 Hot List

Thirsty in LA: Cocktail NYE Celebrations