Pisco Bella Fiore
In many of the recipes on Pisco Trail, I talk about the influence of Inca, Spanish, African, Chinese, and Japanese cultures. But did you know that today in Lima it’s not uncommon to meet a local Peruvian with an Italian or German last name? Why? Because they are also part of Peru’s immigrant history.
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Apricot Pisco Julep
Sometimes, making a cocktail provides an opportunity to focus on simplicity and to experiment with the flavors of the season that demand to be mixed with Pisco. So next time you crave to be refreshed on a hot Summer day, start with some Pisco, add a little bit of simple syrup, mix in some stone fruit purée, shake, strain, and serve cold in a mason jar with ice. Presenting, a cocktail that is sweet, tart, colorful, and rich with anti-oxidants and vitamins — the Apricot Pisco Julep will be the medicine for whatever ails you this Summer.
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Before Sunset Pisco
Are you a Romantic or a Cynic? One test to determine which you are is to the watch the film Before Sunset and answer a simple question — do Jesse and Celine stay together at the end of the film, or not? Because the film’s ending left their fate unanswered, it was up to us to determine their fate, and it became the perfect test of our romantic nature. But what does this have to do with a cocktail?
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Pisco Flower of My Secret
During one of Hotsy Totsy’s recent Stewsday events, I had the pleasure of sampling their special Aji de Gallina and three different Macchu Pisco cocktails, including one with a pür spirits liqueur. But the real highlight of the evening was meeting the women behind the bar, the Pisco, and the liqueur, learning about their work with LUPEC, and hearing about the upcoming book project that features recipes and portraits of women bartenders from the Bay Area. Naturally, I was reminded of the women from the films of the Spanish Pedro Almodovar.
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Comstock’s Monday Night Special
Monday nights are usually pretty quite in San Francisco, the weekend is over, most restaurants are closed, and it’s back to the daily grind — but not at Comstock Saloon. Here, under the protection of Emperor Norton perched high above the bar, the weekend is just starting. And here is where you’ll find me, enjoying a barkeep’s whimsy Pisco cocktail from Jared and sitting in on drums, playing some swinging Gypsy Jazz tunes with Gaucho on the balcony stage.
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