One for the Road... Träkál - The Spirit of Patagonia

In "One for the Road", one of the guys takes a quick run at a topic for your reading pleasure. Themes will vary, from classic drinks to hand-crafted ingredients and creations of their own, or whatever suits them at the moment. This time, Pablo delves into a new spirit: Träkál.

It seems like it was just last week when our RSA contingent, John, shared the news of a new spirit, Träkál, he'd read about in Food & Wine: The New Spirit That Allegedly Smells Like a Patagonian Forest. In fact, it was last week.

Being from Argentina and having spent every other summer vacation there during their winter I was immediately intrigued by the title and that description and started tracking down a bottle with the help of family in various states. 

One for the Road... Fat-Washing

In "One for the Road", one of the guys takes a quick run at a topic for your reading pleasure. Themes will vary, from classic drinks to hand-crafted ingredients and creations of their own, or whatever suits them at the moment. This go around, Pablo delves into a topic befitting his physique: fat-washing. 

A couple of years back John wrote about one of my favorite drinks: the Boulevardier. A lesser known but fantastic cousin to the Negroni, where bourbon or rye substitutes for the gin in approximately equal parts, depending on your taste, with Campari and sweet vermouth. 

But this isn't about the Boulevardier, per se. This is about Campari. Nay, this is about fat. Specifically, this is about fat-washing.

One for the Road... The Boulevardier

In "One for the Road", one of the guys takes a quick run at a topic for your reading pleasure. Themes will vary, from classic drinks to hand-crafted ingredients and creations of their own, or whatever suits them at the moment. This go around, John presents the Boulevardier.

Background 
Sometimes at the end of a long day you just want a drink to help take the edge off, one that doesn't require too much fuss or thought. It's easy to turn to a glass of wine, a bottle of beer, or perhaps two fingers of your favorite scotch in such a time. But maybe, just maybe, you can rouse enough effort to pull together a cocktail.

The Boulevardier is such a drink to add to your repertoire. The basic recipe is a snap, the ingredients are standards of any well stocked home bar, and the end result is supremely satisfying. 

Two guys and a drink: The Manhattan

In "Two Guys and a Drink", Dave and John focus on a single drink and experiment with multiple recipes and ingredients as they search for their own "perfect" recipe. Of course, the "perfect" recipe is purely subjective; as with life, the cocktail is a journey, not a destination, and you should find your own. For this post, they are taking on a classic: The Manhattan.

A LITTLE HISTORY
The Manhattan may not be the oldest cocktail around, but it is an undeniable classic. David Embury, a beacon of light for all amateur mixers and imbibers, lists it as one of his Six Basic Cocktails. Its history, like most cocktails, is a muddled one, but it was most certainly invented in New York City in the 1870s and first appeared in bartender guides as early as 1882. The Manhattan is especially notable, according to David Wonderich, for leading the way for other vermouth-blended cocktails. Is it possible that, without the Manhattan, the Martini would never have the prominent cocktail it is today? Probably not - come on, it's the Martini - but that does not mean the Manhattan's contributions to the evolution of the cocktail should be underestimated.