In Memorandum: The Monarch

For those of you who have been following the birth of this blog, you will know that I recently reviewed a few of the drinks at The Monarch in Maplewood.  It pains me to say this, but, unfortunately, The Monarch is closing its doors for good on March 11^th.  Obviously this is sad for the owners and staff of the restaurant, but in past few months I had really enjoyed popping in to the bar for a drink or two.  The Monarch contained a bar that was able to pay homage to traditional cocktails while also being able to concoct new, daring creations.  One of my favorites was Purgatory, a devilish mix of whiskey, Chartreuse, and Benedictine herbal liquor that one could not consume two of without starting to think about obtaining a ride home.   In the drink description on the menu, it reads: “If you drink very many of these in succession, you will experience this drink's namesake. You have been forewarned.”  They are not kidding.

In keeping on the traditional side, The Monarch was able to drudge up long forgotten memories of the cocktails of yesteryear and replicate them in the most accurate way possible.  The Sazerac is not for the faint of heart, as you can tell from the recipe:

Sazerac

1 sugar cube

3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

2 oz rye whiskey

¼ oz absinthe, Herbsaint, or Pernod

Lemon twist

Fill old-fashioned glass with ice. Muddle sugar and bitters in second old-fashioned glass.  Add whiskey and stir.  Discard ice from first glass.  Add absinthe to chilled glass, swirl to coat inside, and discard excess absinthe.  Pour whiskey mixture from second glass into chilled glass.  Twist lemon over drink, but do not add to glass.

When I first tried the Sazerac, I was incredibly leery of the absinthe.  However, this cocktail has such a small amount, there is only a hint of the black licorice flavor imparted by the absinthe; a subtle kiss of anise that when mixed with the spicy rye, is just the perfect amount.  The Monarch made this drink better than most, and while I can’t say that it’s the best Sazerac I’ve ever had, I can tell you with full confidence that you would not be disappointed if you had one from there.

All in all, a big thanks to the folks of The Monarch.  To the bartenders, the waiting staff, the chef, and the owners, we wish you luck in your future endeavors.  Thanks, and cheers.

Ginger Beer: Where Have You Been All My Life?

The inspiration for today’s post comes directly from the pages of Mr. Boston.  I noticed an ingredient in many recipes that was both foreign and intriguing: ginger beer.  My first thought: what is the difference between ginger beer and ginger ale?  As it turns out, the modern day difference is slight.  Traditionally, ginger beer was just that: a fermented, alcoholic beverage made from ginger, sugar, water, and lemon juice.  Today, however, both ginger beer and ginger ale are carbonated beverages that are sold as soft drinks.  That is not to say they are the same thing; ginger ale, as you are probably aware, has a more subdued ginger flavor and overall is more comparable to a lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7-Up.   Ginger beer has such an intense ginger flavor that you the finish tastes spicy.    It is quite an experience having one plain.  There are many different brands of ginger beer, such as Barritt’s or Bundaberg.

 

Dark N’ Stormy

Ginger Beer

2 oz dark rum

Garnish with a lime wedge

The Dark N’ Stormy is an interesting drink in that the name is actually trademarked by Gosling Brothers, Ltd, makers of both Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer and Gosling’s Black Seal Rum.  Using Gosling’s products or not, the Dark N’ Stormy provides a spicy finishing kick from the ginger beer along with the smooth, molasses flavor imparted by the dark rum.  I happened to have some Plantation Grande Reserve, so the vanilla taste was pronounced.  The recipe of the drink itself is up for debate, however.   One source says:

Pour ginger beer into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.  Float rum on top.  

And another:

Pour rum over ice.  Add ginger beer.  Add the juice from the wedge of lime.  Stir well.

 So, which is it?  If you are floating the rum as from the first recipe, I would recommend doubling the recipe and using a highball glass.  Then, drink the beverage with a straw.  I have tried both ways, and I recommend not floating the rum, but that’s just me. 

There are many variations to the Dark N’ Stormy such as the Light N’ Stormy, which uses a light rum such as 10 Cane instead of dark rum.  One other slightly horrifying version is the Small Craft Advisory in which the ginger beer is replaced with just plain old beer.  I’m assuming they mean a lager of some type.  I don’t think I’ll be posting about that drink anytime soon. 

Have you ever had a Dark N’ Stormy?  How about ginger beer?  Is there anyone adventurous out there who would be willing to try a Small Craft Advisory?  Comments are always appreciated.

The Monarch

The Monarch is a top notch restaurant, and its bar matches the high standard of dining.  Set on the corner of Manchester and Sutton in downtown Maplewood, Monarch provides a bartending staff well suited for the creation of, well, whatever you want.  At $10 for every cocktail on their menu, Monarch becomes a special occasion bar for most.  It wouldn’t be the best idea to order a Jack and Coke here, so if you are looking for simplicity, this is not your place.  If, however, you are looking for upscale, you have found your heaven.

Upon first arrival, the bartender presented us with a great menu of cocktails.  The menu was divided into classic cocktails, seasonal cocktails, dessert cocktails, and the Monarch’s own recipes.  The time-sensitive nature of the seasonal cocktails enticed me to select from that portion of the menu.  I noticed a drink called “K-T Flip.”  Here is where everything gets a bit hairy.  The ingredients are as follows: 

Four Roses bourbon, Tuscany red wine, simple syrup, bitters, and one whole egg  
(A whole egg?  Why in the world would you put an egg in a cocktail, other than a dire need for protein?  I’ll address the concept of “flips” in a future post.)

The drink is shaken together with ice and served in a Chardonnay glass.  It looks like latte; after the egg is shaken, the drink creates a foam layer that floats on the rest of the coffee colored drink.  Bitters are added on the top of the foam as an aromatic.  After asking the bartender about the drink, he informed me that it was a version of a coffee cocktail, which is also available at The Monarch.

Coffee Cocktail

1 ½ ounce port

1 ½ ounce brandy

1 teaspoon simple syrup

1 whole egg

Shake hard with ice and strain into a wine glass.  Garnish with grated nutmeg.

The texture of the K-T Flip is slightly deceptive, as the foamy head implies a creamy consistency.  However, none of the ingredients add this creaminess, and the drink goes down similarly to a chilled glass of wine.  As the glass is tilted, the foamy head moves aside, allowing the rest of the drink to pass to the lips.  The drink is quite smooth, and there is enough bourbon in the cocktail to prevent it from being overly sweet.  There is not an alcohol bite, which makes this drink suitable as a dessert drink.

Have you ever been to the Monarch?  Have you ever tried a coffee cocktail?  Let me know what you think of both in the comments.            

Free Cuba

I went to the liquor store on my way home from a particularly tough day at work.  This is always a bad idea.  Or a good one.  It depends if you look at the trip financially or otherwise, but I’ll say this: I tend to splurge on alcohol when I’m in a bad mood.  Unfortunately, I had not performed the required research to have any idea what I wanted.  I racked my brain, trying to remember the contents of my home bar.  The sudden realization that I had exactly zero bottles of rum ushered me to the proper aisle.  Once there, I was overwhelmed; so many options, from so many different countries left me with quite a decision to make.  So, how do you make a choice?

Most of the rum production today takes place in the Caribbean and Latin American.  Nearly all rum is created from sugarcane, whether the sugarcane is in the form of juice or in molasses, which is a byproduct of the sugar refining process (other rums are made using sugar beets).  The differences in rum (or ron in Spanish, or rhum in French) is very dependent on the culture where the spirit is produced.  English-speaking countries (such as Barbados, Guyana, and Jamaica) tend to produce rich, dark rums with a heavy molasses flavor.  Countries like Cuba, Nicaragua, and Dominican Republic, which are predominately Spanish-speaking, create lighter, smooth rums called Añejo.  French-speaking countries are known for rhum agricole.  This rum is produced in Haiti and Martinique. 

If you go to the supermarket to buy your rum, you won’t find the previously mentioned regional differences.  You will find rums like Bacardi Superior and Bacardi Gold and a plethora of spiced rums like Captain Morgan and The Kraken (which comes in a great bottle).  For most cocktails, though, these rums add either too little (in the case of Bacardi) or too much (spiced rum) flavor.  The most important word in the previous sentence is most.  Daiquiri’s and Bacardi cocktail’s are perfect with Bacardi, and the Captain and cola is omnipresent in today’s bar scene.  If you really want to make a great cocktail, though, you are going to have to expand your horizons.

I really love dark rum, and I recommend branching out with a brand such as Plantation Rum Grande Reserve (Barbados) or El Dorado 12 year old (Guyana).  Both of these rums are reasonably priced, and El Dorado has many cheaper varieties than the 12 year old.

So, let’s take a classic rum cocktail and use some quality rum. 

Cuba Libre

2 oz Plantation Estate Grande Reserve

4 oz cola

Lime wedge

Fill a highball glass with ice.  Add rum and cola.  Squeeze lime into glass.  Stir.

Every time I think of a Cuba Libre, I think of the movie Cocktail.