Henry & John

This drink is called a Henry & John, after the buccaneer's first name and that of John Pemberton, who invented Coca-Cola.

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Henry & John

Martin Cate

Makes 1

Ingredients
2.00-oz (4 Tbsp) Homemade Spiced Rum 
0.75-oz (1.5 Tbsp) fresh lime juice 
1.00 oz (2 Tbsp) brown-sugar syrup 
2 dashes (0.5 tsp) orange bitters 
2 dashes (0.5 tsp) Angostura® bitters 
2.00-oz (4 Tbsp) seltzer water

Garnish:
1-inch wide spiral of orange peel


Preparation
Arrange the garnish inside a tall glass, holding it in place by filling the glass with ice. 

Then combine all the ingredients except the soda water and shake with ice. Add the soda water into the shaker; stir slightly. Strain into the garnished glass and serve. To make the brown-sugar syrup, combine equal parts brown sugar and water in a pan, and dissolve the sugar over a low flame.

Source

Bitters

• Amer Boudreau - Jamie Boudreau
• Clove Bitters - Alex Smith

This recipe produces Bitters very similar to the original Amer Picon (before 1970s formula change), used in many vintage cocktail recipes, but no longer distributed in the USA. Read about Jamie Boudreau's process to replicate the elusive Amer Picon (shown below) in an experts' side-by-side comparison.

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Amer Boudreau

Jamie Boudreau

Ingredients
3 bottles Amaro Ramazzotti
7.50 cups orange tincture
0.75 bottle Stirrings Blood Orange bitters
0.75 (1-liter) bottle Evian (about 25.4-oz)

Notes:  Brooklyn Cocktail recipe

Preparation 

Place all ingredients into a container and stir. Seal and allow ingredients to get to know each other for at least one week.

Filter, bottle and refrigerate.

Alex Smith concocted Clove Bitters and uses them in his seasonal Belsnickel Cocktail.

Clove Bitters

Alex Smith

Ingredients
5 cloves
1 (4.0-oz) bottle Angostura® Bitters


Preparation
Drop the cloves into a bitters bottle ad let sit for 2 days. Shake bottle several times a day, before straining out.
—Alex Smith, Honor, Emeryville, California

Last Updated December 1, 2012

Infusion: Spiced Rum

• AZ's 5-Spice Rum
• Kelly Carámbula's Cinnamon-Infused Rum
• Martin Cate's Homemade Spiced Rum
• Todd Thrasher's Spiced Rum

Serve this 5-Spice Rum in (8) highball glasses straight up, chilled or on the rocks.

5-Spice Rum

Adapts AZ (now closed) - 2000

Makes 8 cocktails

Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle of dark rum

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

1 star anise

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

Pinch Sichuan peppercorns

Preparation
Uncap rum; add spices and replace cap. Shake well.

Let stand at room temperature for 48 hours.

Strain rum through a fine sieve, discarding spices. 

Source

Cinnamon-Infused Rum

Kelly Carámbula - 2011

Makes 750-ml

Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle of dark rum, like Flor de Caña®

3 cinnamon sticks

Notes:  Pumpkin Punch recipe

Preparation

In a large, wide-mouth jar, combine the cinnamon sticks and rum (keep the bottle). Seal and place in a dark area for 3 days; shake gently daily. Once the cinnamon flavor is bold enough, remove the cinnamon sticks and pour back into the liquor bottle.

Source

Homemade Spiced Rum

Martin Cate - 2009

Ingredients
1 bottle decent medium-dry rum
1 vanilla bean, sliced open
1 (3-inch) slice of orange peel, with no white pith
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole allspice berries
3 whole cloves
5 whole black peppercorns
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 slice of fresh ginger, about the size of a quarter


Notes:  Henry and John recipe


Preparation
Combine all in the bottle and cap it. Keep in a cool, dark place for about three days, shaking it once a day. When you think it is ready (anywhere from 2 to 4 days), strain out the spices and re-bottle the rum.

Source

Spiced Rum

Todd Thrasher - 2009

Makes 1-liter

Ingredients
1 whole star anise
1/2 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
2 whole cloves
2 allspice berries
2 cardamom pods
0.25-oz (0.5 Tbsp) freshly grated nutmeg
1 liter good-quality white rum such as Appleton®, Flor de Caña® or Mount Gay®
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Strips of peel from 1 whole orange (no pith), finely chopped

Notes:  Spiced Rum Cocktail recipe


Preparation
Use a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder designated for spices to grind the star anise, cinnamon stick pieces, cloves, allspice berries, cardamom and nutmeg.

Pour the rum into a clean, clear-glass 4-cup container; save the rum's original bottle. Add the spice mixture plus the vanilla bean and scrapings and the orange peel. Seal and place on an interior windowsill for 5 days; shake the mixture each day.

After 5 days, strain through a fine-mesh strainer; then strain again, making sure all traces of the spices are removed. Discard any solids. Use a funnel to return the Spiced Rum to its original bottle. Be sure to label it accordingly.

Source

Last Updated December 9, 2012

Nocino | Calabria from Scratch

Nocino is a dark-colored liqueur made with unripe walnuts and a hint of spice that is typically served cold. It is considered a digestive in Italy, but you can also use it to make desserts.

Throughout Italy, June 24 (San Giovanni’s aka St John's Day) is traditionally when people start the process of making nocino. Tradition has it that the green walnuts must be picked on this day to make the best nocino. Actually, this time of picking is essential because of the delicate and ever-changing flavor of the nut. ~Rosetta Costantino 

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Nocino
(Walnut Liqueur)

Rosetta Costantino - 2010
Makes about 2 liters

Ingredients
27 green walnuts
1 (750 ml) bottle of Everclear (151 proof)
Zest of one organic lemon
2 sticks of cinnamon
12 cloves
1 vanilla bean, split

For finishing:
32-oz (4 cups) water
3 cups sugar


Notes: Wear gloves and use a plastic cutting board because juice from the walnuts stains. Experiment with resting times, as nocino mellows with age.

Preparation

Cut the green walnuts in quarters lengthwise; then, halve each to yield 8 pieces per walnut.

Place the cut walnut pieces with the alcohol and the lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla bean in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Cover and leave the jar on a window sill for the next 40 days, making sure the walnuts remain covered by the alcohol.

After 40 days, the liquid should look dark brown in color.

To start the second (finishing) phase, make a simple syrup. In a saucepan over Low heat, combine the water and sugar and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, strain the infused alcohol.

Once the simple syrup is completely cooled, add it to the strained infused alcohol; cap and put in a cool place for another 40 days.

Strain; bottle and store.

Source: Rosetta Costantino, Calabria from Scratch