tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1 2010-03-11T19:35:32Z Movable Type 3.35 tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.403 2010-03-11T19:27:48Z 2010-03-11T19:35:32Z

The Tipsies and some of our mixological colleagues will be hosting a Beignet Breakfast at Frank on Friday morning, 9-11am March 12. We will be sampling some new and classic Chartreuse cocktails. Event is open to the public but it...

Tex This Chartreuse neon sign is the only one of its kind, and hangs on the wall of the Texas Chili Parlour. Although we will not have this neon sign at Frank on Friday, we will have plenty of Chartreusey treasures that they do not have at the Parlour: Chartreuse and Chocolate; Chartreuse Bloody Mary with Chartreuse-pickled veggies; and the Green Witch--Brown butter macchiato with Chartreuse. Mmm! Compliimentary cocktails and beignets from 9-11am, first come, first served.]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.401 2010-02-23T15:30:52Z 2010-02-23T22:24:19Z

Santa Fe is an iconic American city, as unique as New Orleans with a history as long and rich. The city’s cultural and natural attractions are legend—the restaurants, the world-class opera, the ski mountain, the Canyon Road galleries, the gorgeous...

Tex world-class opera, the ski mountain, the Canyon Road galleries, the gorgeous Ten Thousand Waves spa. I have eaten, shopped and toured my way through Santa Fe many times. Recently I went with no 4-star agenda (and no 4-star budget!), for a laid-back weekend with a friend from high school. As the city celebrates its 400th anniversary this year, I had the opportunity to check out a side of Santa Fe that I had never seen before. If that intro sounded too slick for regular visitors to this site, you are right. I started this piece as a guest post for a major travel journalism site that I found out no longer accepts guest posts. Now back to our regularly scheduled doggerel: Several years ago a friend of mine moved to Santa Fe to work in one of the city’s legendary restaurants. (Actually, he moved there chasing tail, and ended up working at a great restaurant.) It is hard to imagine that a city of only 60,000 people is home to so many nationally acclaimed restaurants. The Compound, Santa Café, Geronimo, Coyote Café, to name a few. The number of high-end restaurants (just like the number of art galleries, and the caliber of the Santa Fe Opera) is disproportionate to the city’s diminutive size. With all of this fabulosity comes a fabulous price. Though I was feeling fabulous when I flew out there (with no small assistance from the in-flight cocktails which make the hassles of modern air travel endurable), I wasn't feeling so fabulous about my wallet, and so we decided to take a low-key approach. Check out some of the places that the locals patronize. Spend some time in a couple (okay, a dozen +) thrift stores. Maybe eat out of a "chili bag." Located in the former Woolworth’s building is Five & Dime, which is about 50% tourist trap and 25% general store, with the remaining part taken up by the real reason to go there, which is the Frito Pie. Nothing innovative here, it is just a treat to be able to order this self-contained delight somewhere outside of a Little League game. In fairer weather, patrons take their “chili bag” outside to enjoy it in the plaza in front of Santa Fe’s oldest building, the Palace of the Governors. In this weather, your butt would have frozen to the park bench, so we ate inside. This frito pie was a gut bomb, but I'm glad I tried it. Not too many places serving meals in a chip bag these days. I should mention another unique factor in my recent trip. In addition to my lilliputian budget, this adventure was marked by another oddity for me--SNOW. A native of central Texas I have only ever been around falling snow a few times in my life (although, ironically, it is snowing in Austin right now). When I landed in Albuquerque, it was snowing in Santa Fe and dumped the better part of a foot on the city over the course of the day. It was really beautiful seeing the city under a blanket of white. It made me want to have a cocktail. And a big-ass burger. A few short miles out of town, and well worth the drive, is Bobcat Bite. Known for enormous burgers, the Bite has operated in a historic trading post on the edge of town for more than 50 years. I believe that Bobcat claims to have invented the green chili burger. Regardless of the veracity of this claim, it is a good eat. If I have one complaint, it's that the meat:cheese ratio is off when the patty is this big. Part of the beauty of a cheeseburger is a harmonious meat:cheese ratio, which this burger does not have with only one slice of cheese for that big ass patty. Also, I would take a pass on the potatoes next time. Bobcat has no fryers and there's something just not quite satisfying about a griddled potato with a cheese burger. Because of economic constraints that I have already discussed, we decided to take a brief respite from pricey Santa Fe and drive to nearby budget-driven communities of Española and Pojoaque, which are noticeably short on fine dining and art galleries, but make up for it with other cultural treasures, such as drive-in liquor stores. Red's in Española is awesome, something you just don't find in Texas--Drive-in liquor store in the front; old-school lounge (pool tables, paintings of nekkid ladies) in the middle; and rustic steakhouse in the back. Kokoman is a bad-ass liquor store in Pojoaque. One of the best selections I've ever seen, orders of magnitude more thorough than any liquor store in Austin. I found some real treasures there--Pappy Van Winkle 13yr rye, Cocchi Americano vermouth; a bunch of rums and ryes that I couldn't fit in my suitcase. And one of the best anti-hot check policies I've ever seen: Whatever you do, don't write us a hot check or we will put your bitch ass up on the marquee! One of the things that really impresses me about Santa Fe is how many quaint bars there are. For a city that famously shuts down early, even on weekends, there are a lot of great comfortable bars that seem to host a pleasant mix of tourists and locals. Tiny's was by far one of my favorite stops on this trip. Though it does not have its own Web site, it has been identified by Esquire magazine as one of the best bars in the country. A nondescript storefront in a nondescript shopping center does not belie the treasure to be found within: A bar that seems apparently trapped in time, wrought iron decor and all. There was a live blues rock band playing to a crowd of mostly 40-, 50-, and 60-somethings, who were dancing and having a festive time. I was really amazed by this--I don't think I could name a bar in Austin that caters to a mature set such as this, that swings at such fill tilt. It was great, and a scene in which to be seen--we were honored to meet the mayor of Albuquerque that evening at Tiny's. But my favorite part about Tiny's is the decor--on shelves all around and above the bar you can behold what is alleged to be the Largest Decanter Collection in the Southwest. I don't even know how many contenders are for this distinction, but it sounds as impressive as it looks. Decanters in all manner of shapes and sizes, with an emphasis on woodland wildlife, Indians, Elvis, and leprechauns. That's some nice taxidermy, right? PSYCH!!! It's just more Jim Beam decanters. Come to think of it, the whole crowd here, both ceramic and human, was more Jim Beam Decanter than, say, Crystal Skull Vodka, or whatever the kids are drinking these days. In fact, the place is so vintage that when Jenna Lane, the foxy associate publisher of Edible Austin magazine, asked to be dropped off there, the shuttle drivers were like, "You want to go WHERE?" Yes, boys, she wanted to go to Tiny's. Because decanters are hot. El Farol is located on Canyon Road just down the street from Geronimo. The intimate bar was packed on the night we went, and a great blues band played on the unusual “split” stage—divided in the middle by the front door to the bar. In addition to the denizens of the local hospitality industry, we found ourselves in the presence of Hollywood greats Mickey Rourke and Bill Murray. Mr Murray was lit up like Christmas (in more ways than one, but specifically by the illuminated lei he wore) and declined a photograph. Mr. Rourke was more accommodating. Your Tipsy Texan (left) with the Wrestler (center) and my host and very good friend Michael (right) El Charro is another one of those quaint little hotel bars. A comfortable place to relax with friends and drink beer by a fire place. This about how things looked like by the time we got to El Charro Edible Communities is the group of magazine owners to which Edible Austin belongs, and they were having their annual publisher's conference was in town that weekend. They were shacked up at the Bishop's Lodge, a few miles outside of Santa Fe. The Bishop's Lodge under a blanket of snow La Posada is a luxury hotel with a great restaurant and a cozy, quaint bar. Peeking through the window of Fuego I noticed that the restaurant no longer offers the luxury of eating brunch from the comfort of a plush sofa, though it still promises to be one of the best in town. The last time that I ate there, one of the brunch "courses" consisted of a bloody mary cart that rolls to the table, whereabouts the server prepares your drink and garnishes it with such luxuries as pickled green bean, pickled caper berry, and either crab leg or prawn. Just outside of town is Camel Rock, the namesake monolith of the Camel Rock Casino, affectionately known as the Camel Toe Casino. I wonder what they called the rock before they knew about Camels? (important historical note: in 2002 I had the pleasure of seeing Poison play at this very casino) Early New Mexican Barbed Wire Technology at Camel Rock Now for the real reason I went to Santa Fe: I had been fantasizing about guest bartending at Coyote Cafe for a long time, and my friend Michael hooked me up with the beverage director, Quinn Stephenson, and we put the deal in motion. I wrote a short menu of my own cocktails and some of my favorite classics, and smuggled in some hooch from Texas, and we did a little expo. It was super cool. One of the cocktails I did was the Green Hour, which I created with my ffriend Ryan Ffrench when we were at Annie's in Austin: Gin, Absinthe, Herb Syrup, Lemon, Egg White. Topped with bitters from the Misto, a trick which I learned from Bobby Heugel of Houston's Anvil My menu for the evening. Those of you who saw us out & about in Austin this past season may recognize some of these cocktails, indeed may blanche at the thought of having to tipple another cup of Harvest Punch. But to Santa Fe on that evening, everything was new, even that tired White Buffalo shirt that wore out its welcome by November in the Austin scene. I am really not a one trick pony, as I have often claimed, so much as a one stable cowboy: Coyote Café was at one time synonymous with high-end southwestern cooking, being as it was the restaurant that put that cuisine on the map. Opened in 1987 by Mark Miller, Coyote rose to national and international prominence, the type of attention that draws in huge crowds, and with that attention comes the requisite ire of self-anointed critics of Yelp and that ilk. A few years ago Miller decided to sell Coyote to a small partnership of former coworkers and colleagues, including Geronimo chef Eric DeStefano and beverage director Quinn Stephenson, also from Geronimo. It is understandable that a restaurant that has been in business for more than 20 years has had ups and downs. After my recent dinner there I can certify that they are definitely UP right now. One of the best meals I have ever eaten. Me with Coyote beverage director/co-owner Quinn Stephenson Note: This blog cannot unfortunately accept comments at the moment but we're hoping to adopt that technology once we roll in to the 21st century with our new site in the next few weeks. -DA]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.402 2010-02-23T13:45:18Z 2010-02-23T13:51:53Z

There are still some individual tickets for remaining Tipsy Tech lectures. 2/23 Week Two: History—Prohibition & Beyond 3/2 Week Three: Introduction to Tools, Techniques & the Spirit of Hospitality 3/9 Week Four: How to Taste Spirits & History of...

Tex There are still some individual tickets for remaining Tipsy Tech lectures. 2/23 Week Two: History—Prohibition & Beyond 3/2 Week Three: Introduction to Tools, Techniques & the Spirit of Hospitality 3/9 Week Four: How to Taste Spirits & History of Distillation Spring Break week off 3/23 Week Five: Rum History, styles Classic & Modern Rum Cocktails 3/30 Week Six: Brandy & Cognac History, styles Classic & Modern Brandy Cocktails 4/6 Week Seven: American whiskey History, styles Classic & modern American whiskey cocktails 4/13 Week Eight: Scotch & Irish Whiskies History, styles Classic & modern scotch cocktails 4/20 Week Nine: Gin & Vodka History, styles Classic & modern gin cocktails 4/27 Week Ten: Vermouths, Amari, & Miscellaneous Debris Aperitivo & Digestivo wines & cordials Sherry, port Liqueurs 5/4 Week Eleven: The Spirits of Latin America Tequila, Mezcal y Sotol. Aguardiente, Cachaca, y Pisco. Classic & modern cocktails 5/11 Week Twelve: Testing Out: Will be done on an appointment basis following the last class and will cover: History Recipes Practical Updated Class Info Updated class info after the jump. This Web site is currently being remodeled and comments are temporarily disabled. Please email info at this URL with questions or comments.]]> Twin Liquors Marketplace at Hancock Center Cost: For students not seeking program certification, individual classes may be audited for tuition of $35 per class, when space is available ($25 USBG. For more information on USBG, visit the national site here. Special $50 discounted membership is available through the local chapter by contacting Lara Nixon at boxcar@me.com) Payments: made via Paypal at The Blue Ruin Please note that when paying for classes, it is important to state which class you are signing up for. You will receive email notification to confirm registration and payment. “Walk-in” registration for single classes may be made up until noon of the class day ]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.400 2010-02-04T02:05:29Z 2010-02-04T22:11:41Z

On Thursday we did a live chat interview on Michael Barnes's Out and About blog at Austin360.com. This is a part of a series on the state of Austin nightlife. The format is interactive, and readers can join in...

Tex On Thursday we did a live chat interview on Michael Barnes's Out and About blog at Austin360.com. This is a part of a series on the state of Austin nightlife. The format is interactive, and readers can join in on the conversation. The archived chat is viewable here.]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.399 2010-02-03T17:54:43Z 2010-02-08T17:27:00Z

We are excited to announce that Maker's Mark whisky has partnered with us to present Tipsy Tech. Distillery Diplomat Adam Harris will be joining the conversation on American Whiskey on April 6th, kicking off our month-long Mint Julep Outreach campaign....

Tex ]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.398 2010-02-02T23:53:35Z 2010-02-03T00:06:48Z

Each year the various Edible Communities publications host the Local Hero awards in their various communities to award the best in locally produced food and beverage. This year's winners: Farm/Farmer: Carol Ann Sayles and Larry Butler of Boggy Creek...

Tex Each year the various Edible Communities publications host the Local Hero awards in their various communities to award the best in locally produced food and beverage. This year's winners: Farm/Farmer: Carol Ann Sayles and Larry Butler of Boggy Creek Farm Restaurant/Chef: Mark Paul and Eric Polzer (Wink) Food Artisan: Jesse Griffiths (Dai Due Supper Club & Butcher Shop) Beverage Artisan: Joe Eifler and David Alan (TipsyTexan.com) Congrats to all of the winners! We humbly thank all of you who voted for us, since this year we forgot to beg/bribe all of our friends and family to vote, and I even forgot to vote for myself. ]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.397 2010-02-01T20:31:45Z 2010-02-01T20:48:40Z

The Tipsy Texans have partnered with East Side Show Room bar manager Adam Bryan to present a special menu of classic and modern tiki drinks, every Monday night from 5-9 pm. Drinks are priced conveniently from $7-9. We've been poring...

Tex East Side Show Room bar manager Adam Bryan to present a special menu of classic and modern tiki drinks, every Monday night from 5-9 pm. Drinks are priced conveniently from $7-9. We've been poring through vintage books on what Jeff "Beachbum" Berry would call a Sippin' Safari. We've selected a short list of classic tiki drinks that we think many people have tried, but perhaps have never had a good one of. We've also sourced recipes from modern tiki enthusiasts such as "Kaiser Penguin" Stutz (Nutmeg Needle), and we even collaborated with Adam on a new tiki cocktail, "Back in the E.S.S.R.", a tiki-for-two (or more) that is served in a fishbowl. The tiki phenomenon represents an important and much-misunderstood genre in the history of American mixology. As we sail through the pages and bottles of tiki past, our understanding evolves, and so will our recipes and menu. See you at the Safari! Note: The comments section of this blog is temporarily busted. No workey.]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.396 2010-02-01T18:59:54Z 2010-02-02T06:14:22Z

Thanks to the generosity of one of our sponsors, we are hosting a Tipsy Tech Twitter Essay Contest, the winner of which will receive a full scholarship for the 12-wk course Tipsy Tech: the History & Practice of Cocktail...

Tex Thanks to the generosity of one of our sponsors, we are hosting a Tipsy Tech Twitter Essay Contest, the winner of which will receive a full scholarship for the 12-wk course Tipsy Tech: the History & Practice of Cocktail Mixology. Contest Rules: Tweet why you should win the scholarship Include the #TipsyTech hash tag in your tweet Retweet the original tweet about the contest You must be able to attend classes in Austin from 6-8 on Tuesday nights. You must be 21 to enter. Age verification will be made at first day of class. Regular attendance is requested; failure to attend without prior notice may result in loss of seat to another student. Tweet must be made before midnight on the night of Monday, February 8 2010 Winning tweet will be announced Tuesday February 9]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.395 2010-01-22T14:45:26Z 2010-02-02T06:14:54Z

We are pleased to announce that Twin Liquors Marketplace at Hancock Center will be hosting us in their training room. Due to the expanded size of our meeting place we are able to increase enrollment and so have postponed...

Tex We are pleased to announce that Twin Liquors Marketplace at Hancock Center will be hosting us in their training room. Due to the expanded size of our meeting place we are able to increase enrollment and so have postponed the registration date for the full course to Tuesday, February 9. Updated Class Info Time: Tuesdays 6-8 pm Location: Twin Liquors Marketplace at Hancock Center Cost: $350 for the full course ($250 for members of the United States Bartender's Guild); For students not seeking program certification, individual classes may be audited for tuition of $35 per class, when space is available ($25 USBG. For more information on USBG, visit the national site here. Special $50 discounted membership is available through the local chapter by contacting Lara Nixon at boxcar@me.com) Payments: made via Paypal at The Blue Ruin Please note that when paying for individual classes only, it is important to state which class you are signing up for. You will receive email notification to confirm registration and payment. Course Schedule: Listed here Registration Deadline: Tuesday February 9th for the full course; “Walk-in” registration for single classes may be made up until noon of the class day ]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.393 2010-01-07T07:05:28Z 2010-01-13T05:20:08Z

The version of this drink that we did tonight is not technically from the Dale, though it is from a Dale...his newer book, the Essential Cocktail. Since the newer book came out, I have taken to the practice of consulting...

Tex the Dale, though it is from a Dale...his newer book, the Essential Cocktail. Since the newer book came out, I have taken to the practice of consulting it to see how Dale's thoughts have developed since the first book. In Dale's first book, he lists a recipe for Navy Grog that consists of navy rum, orange curacao, lime juice, orange juice, water, and bitters. There is also a recipe for Traditional Grog, which is either served hot or as a long iced drink. In The Essential Cocktail, Dale offers my favorite of the Grog family, the elaborate Trader Vic's Navy Grog: Dark rum, añejo rum, Demerara rum, falernum, simple syrup, pimento dram, cinnamon syrup, grapefruit juice, and lime juice. It's a bit of a production to mix, and takes some commitment to drink, as it weighs in with a hefty 4 oz of booze. If you're in the Austin area you'll be delighted to know that we'll be serving Trader Vic's Navy Grog at the Winter Luau Tiki Hour at East Side Show Room, every Monday night 5-9pm starting Monday 1/18.]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2010://1.391 2010-01-02T12:53:37Z 2010-02-02T06:15:26Z

Here is the spring schedule of classes that will be taught by myself and my colleauge Lara Nixon of the Blue Ruin. To reserve space please go to The Blue Ruin and click on "spirits class." 2/16 Week One:...

Tex Here is the spring schedule of classes that will be taught by myself and my colleauge Lara Nixon of the Blue Ruin. To reserve space please go to The Blue Ruin and click on "spirits class." 2/16 Week One: Orientation & History of drink before 1920 2/23 Week Two: History—Prohibition & Beyond 3/2 Week Three: Introduction to Tools, Techniques & the Spirit of Hospitality 3/9 Week Four: How to Taste Spirits & History of Distillation Spring Break week off 3/23 Week Five: Rum History, styles Classic & Modern Rum Cocktails 3/30 Week Six: Brandy & Cognac History, styles Classic & Modern Brandy Cocktails 4/6 Week Seven: American whiskey History, styles Classic & modern American whiskey cocktails 4/13 Week Eight: Scotch & Irish Whiskies History, styles Classic & modern scotch cocktails 4/20 Week Nine: Gin & Vodka History, styles Classic & modern gin cocktails 4/27 Week Ten: Vermouths, Amari, & Miscellaneous Debris Aperitivo & Digestivo wines & cordials Sherry, port Liqueurs 5/4 Week Eleven: The Spirits of Latin America Tequila, Mezcal y Sotol. Aguardiente, Cachaca, y Pisco. Classic & modern cocktails 5/11 Week Twelve: Testing Out: Will be done on an appointment basis following the last class and will cover: History Recipes Practical Bonus/Make-up Workshops “Bringing the Kitchen Behind the Bar”: Culinary techniques and ingredients in cocktail mixology Molecular Mixology An extension of molecular gastronomy Tools & Techniques with special guest Playing Around: How we develop our own recipes Getting behind the bar and getting dirty (and maybe a little bit tipsy) The Tipsy Garden w/David Alan The role of fresh ingredients in classical & modern mixology Discussion of student projects Intro to goals & methodology]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2009://1.390 2009-12-30T14:46:41Z 2009-12-30T15:11:09Z

Today there is a story in the Austin American-Statesman about how to ring in the New Year with a big bowl of punch. Since I knew that there would be quite a few Austinites and expatriate Longhorns in the Burnt...

Tex Austin American-Statesman about how to ring in the New Year with a big bowl of punch. Since I knew that there would be quite a few Austinites and expatriate Longhorns in the Burnt Orange Diaspora who would be in need of a special beverage next week as well, I created a two-birds-with-one-stone Championship Punch. Fun enough for New Year's Eve, but strong enough to fortify our nerves for next week's football game. Championship Punch 3-4 Tangerines, Meyer Lemons, Oranges, Lemons, mixed 24 oz (about 1 750ml bottle) Flor de Caña 4yr Aged Rum (or other aged rum, such as Mt. Gay or Texas-made Railean) 6 oz fresh squeezed Tangerine juice 6 oz fresh squeezed Meyer Lemon juice* 1/2 cup demerara sugar (or white sugar) 6 oz strong green tea 6-8 dashes Angostura bitters 1 oz St. Elizabeth's Allspice Dram (available at the Austin Wine Merchant and finer liquor stores) Over a punch bowl or glass pitcher, remove the zests of several tangerines, meyer lemons, oranges or lemons, about 3-4 fruit total. Be careful to remove only the outer zest and not the white pith, which is bitter. Leave the zests in the bowl and add sugar and warm green tea. Stir to dissolve and allow to steep a few minutes. Add rum, fruit juices, bitters, and allspice dram. Strain mixture into a punch bowl. Add a large block of ice, which you can make by freezing water in a Jell-O mold, bunt pan, or half of a paper milk carton. A large block of ice will take several hours to dilute and so will not water down your punch as will regular ice. Makes about 12 4-oz servings. *If you do not have access to Meyer Lemons, try an equal mixture of regular lemon juice and orange juice]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2009://1.389 2009-12-30T14:12:15Z 2010-02-10T05:55:02Z

The long-awaited Tipsy Texan education & internship program is finally here. Beginning February 16 we will be teaching The History and Practice of Cocktail Mixology, a 12-week intensive academic program covering all aspects of recreational tippling. The course will...

Tex The long-awaited Tipsy Texan education & internship program is finally here. Beginning February 16 we will be teaching The History and Practice of Cocktail Mixology, a 12-week intensive academic program covering all aspects of recreational tippling. The course will be led by myself and Lara Nixon (Boxcar Bar). We begin with the origins of alcohol in pre-modern medicine, then travel through cocktail history from the golden age of the 19th century, to the “noble experiment” of Prohibition and its aftermath, finishing with the modern cocktail revival of the last decade. There will be a class on each major category of spirits, with a lecture on the history and styles of the spirit followed by a hands-on discussion and demonstration of cocktails featuring that spirit. Other classes will cover such topics as Molecular Mixology and Garden-to-Glass bartending. Participants in the full course will be treated to field trips, special lectures and workshops covering diverse topics in cocktail mixology and hostpitality. Classes will be taught by the team of Alan and Nixon with numerous special guests. Class size will be limited to twenty students. A limited number of interns will be accepted for enrollment in a specialized independent study track. Descriptions of the internship program follow the jump. Details: Registration begins online after January 1, and deadline for full program is February 15, 2010. Regular classes will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-8:00 at Twin Liquors Marketplace at Hancock Center Student enrollment fee is $350 for the full course, $250 for members of the United States Bartenders Guild. For students not seeking program certification, individual classes may be audited for tuition of $35 per class, when space is available. “Walk-in” registration for single classes may be made up until noon of the class day For more information email info@tipsytexan.com ]]> The History and Practice of Cocktail Mixology: Areas of Specialization for Interns Track 1: Culinary Horticulture & Urban Homesteading Over the course of the semester, interns will gain hands-on experience with culinary herbs & vegetables, with a focus on planning & planting the “Mixologist’s Garden”. Work sessions will be led by experienced gardeners and pioneers of Austin’s sustainable food community. Field trips will include work days at venerable urban farms such as Rain Lilly and Boggy Creek. Interns will occasionally be joined by local chefs and other culinary professionals. As the garden begins to bear fruit, kitchen sessions will be conducted to make use of what is in season. We will discuss how to make liqueurs and infusions, jellies & jams, bitters & tinctures, etc. from garden ingredients, and we will explore the role of these ingredients in cocktails. Requirements: Candidate must have an interest in gardening from a culinary perspective, though actual experience is not required. There will a two-hour work session once a week in addition to regular lecture time. Additionally, there will be occasional field trips to area farms and gardens. Track 2: Social Media & Personal Branding for Hospitality Professionals This track will focus on the role of Web sites like Twitter and Facebook in building a career in the food & beverage industry. Activities will include using social (as well as conventional) media outlets to promote various events throughout the semester, as well as developing your own personal online brand. Requirements: Candidate must have basic understanding of social media platforms and be interested in personal brand development. Command of graphic design, photo & video editing programs is a plus. Track 3: Event Production & Promotion Being a bartender, chef or restaurateur requires a lot more than turning the lights on and serving customers. In the modern hospitality environment, professionals must spend a lot of time promoting themselves and their establishments. This track will focus on various ways that this can be done. Interns will assist with promotional events throughout the semester. Participation in this track will include access to several significant food & beverage events in the Austin area, such as the Hill Country Wine & Food festival in April. The main semester project will be to plan and execute a major cocktail event in the spring. Requirements: Candidates must be able to devote approximately two hours to weekly event planning sessions. Additional time will be required on nights and weekends to work or attend events. Some events will include paid work. Track 4: The Practical Mixologist Being a bartender is not a monolithic enterprise. There are many different styles of bartending, and participants in this track will gain experience working in diverse establishments from high-volume bars to high-end classic cocktail lounges. After evaluating your skills and interests, we will develop a schedule that gets you the maximum experience that you are looking for. Requirements: candidates will get hands-on experience both in the Tipsy Texan test kitchen and in the real workplace. Applicants must be available to work some nights and weekends as the schedule of the host bars dictates Track 5: Cocktail Journalism & Culinary History In the current media culture, a “journalism” career can include not just magazines and newspapers, but also books, countless Web sites and blogs, educational events and conferences. This track will study the various ways that a career in mixology (and hospitality in general) can nurture those of us with the artistic impulse to express ourselves through the written word and with visual media. Two applicants will be accepted—one writer and one photo or video journalist. Interns will take a look at cocktail mixology through the researcher’s eye, and from a journalist’s perspective. Interns will gain access to many of Austin’s most respected food & beverage journalists. Requirements: participants will produce original content that will be published at TipsyTexan.com and other local blogs and publications, including their own. Interns will attend a handful of food media events throughout the semester. Semester project will include an editorial piece for a major local food publication. ]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2009://1.388 2009-12-21T15:39:09Z 2009-12-21T16:20:37Z

We were out of town doing a two-night engagement at the Blue Javelina in Marfa this weekend and so we missed the Austinist interview that came out on Friday. (Marfa is known more for its broad horizons than for...

Tex We were out of town doing a two-night engagement at the Blue Javelina in Marfa this weekend and so we missed the Austinist interview that came out on Friday. (Marfa is known more for its broad horizons than for its broadband.) Tolly Mosely interviews David (Tex, me) on the subject of winter-appropriate cocktails. Tex debuts the Prefect Cocktail, which spell check keeps trying to make the Perfect Cocktail, which I am neither talented nor cocky enough to claim. The Prefect 1.5 oz 100 Proof Rye Whiskey 0.75 oz Ruby Port 0.5 oz Averna Barspoon Creme de Cassis Dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters ( if you have them; if not, use Angostura) Stir ingredients with ice to chill. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a real maraschino cherry. There is also a brief discussion of how to employ the ice cream ball in adult holiday entertainment. Proprietarily known as the Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker, the device works by filling one end with ice and rock salt, and the other end with your favorite ice cream recipe. This time of year, when the weather is right and mood is festive, we prefer to fill it with some member of the overly-sweet-and-creamy cocktail canon, of which we are shamelessly fond: a batch of Grasshoppers, Pink Squirrels, Banshees, Golden Sleighs or Brandy Alexanders, for example. Then you roll the ball around and shake it for about ten minutes, at which point you refresh the ice/salt and scrape down the sides of the ice cream canister. Seal it back up and play with it for another 5-10 minutes, and your frozen treasure should be ready. You could, I suppose, do this by yourself but it would not be as fun and your arms might fall off, kind of like if you tried to do a 6-minute Ramos Gin Fizz without shaking assistance. Some Grinchy-ass bastards might point out that you accomplish this in the blender in a fraction of the time, but those haters probably also prefer Slice n' Bake cookies and not mixing the Play Doh colors til they look like poo. ]]> tag:www.tipsytexan.com,2009://1.387 2009-12-10T18:53:25Z 2009-12-16T21:46:04Z

Palm Door donated the fabulous event space, located at 401 Sabine (Dustin Meyer Photography. For his full photo coverage please visit his blog) A great crowd showed up at Palm Door for Drink Local Night, part of the kick-off...

Tex Palm Door donated the fabulous event space, located at 401 Sabine (Dustin Meyer Photography. For his full photo coverage please visit his blog) A great crowd showed up at Palm Door for Drink Local Night, part of the kick-off for Eat Local Week last week. We had a dozen or so Texas distillers and a great turnout for the Drink Local Cocktail Contest. Bobby Heugel and Joe Eifler (Photo by Addie Broyles) The Judges for the evening's competition: Bobby Heugel (Anvil, Houston. Last year's contest winner) Joe Eifler (TipsyTexan.com) Addie Broyles (Austin American-Statesman) Adam Harris (Maker's Mark) Sten Lilja (Louis XIII) 1st Place winner Lara Nixon (Photo by Dustin Meyer) First place went to Lara Nixon with her cocktail, "We're in it for the Corn" 2 oz organic sweet corn infused Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey 1/2 oz Velvet Falernum 1/4 oz Paula's Texas Orange 1/4 oz Del Maguey Mezcal-Chichicapa Expressed orange peel seasoned cocktail glass. Stir ingredients, strain into cocktail glas (non-chilled) and garnish with Organic roasted sweet corn. Lara's cocktail was cleverly garnished with a miniature 'corn on the cob' Photo by Addie Broyles (Dustin Meyer Photography) Second place went to BIll Norris with his Texas Campfire Flip 2 oz Baby Blue Corn Whisky 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice .5 oz Raw Sugar Simple Syrup 2 Bar Spoons Del Maguey Chichicapa 1 2 inch spring wild Texas rosemary + 1 2 inch sprig for Garnish 1 whole local farm egg Angostura Bitters for Garnish In a tempered mixing glass, place rosemary sprig in mescal. Carefully ignite the mescal to toast the rosemary and allow it to burn off. Add Baby Blue Corn Whisky, lemon juice, simple syrup, whole egg and ice. Shake until your arms hurt and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with additional sprig of rosemary and several drops of Angostura Bitters. Third place went to Ben Craven of Perla's on S. Congress The Sportswriter 1 oz. Balcones Baby Blue Whiskey .25 oz Alamosa Wine Cellars (TX) Tempranillo and Meyer Lemon Gastrique .25 oz Clove & Cardamom Turbinado Syrup 1 oz Plymouth Sloe Gin Top with Mineral Water Garnish--candied lemon golf tee Our opening presentation was done by our alternate for the evening, Nate Wales, who works at La Condesa/Malverde. His cocktail was inspired by his mom's apple pie-scented holiday candles (Dustin Meyer Photography) Mom and Apple Pie Base Ingredients: Dripping Springs Vodka Bretzen Apple Schnapps 1/2 Texas grown Gala apple Round Rock Honey (i've infused with cinnamon and vanilla) Pie Crust Garnish Ingredients: Dehydrated texas gala apples grahm crackers turbinado sugar add all items to spice grinder and blitz until fine slice of fresh apple Build: take 1/2 apple and hand muddle to release fresh juices drizzle a bar spoon of honey infusion 2oz Dripping Springs .5oz Bretzen Apple Schnapps add ice Shake like you mean it. Double strain(to remove apple bits) into Pie Crust garnished martini glass ]]>