House Tonic Issue 13

HOUSE

TO N I C

Issue

13

ALL ABOUT GIN BEST BARS IN TORONTO SPRING COCKTAILS FAVOURITE DRINKS BOOKS COCKTAIL COMPETITIONS SOHO HOUSE NEWS

SOHO HOUSE’S DRINKS MAGA ZINE

Simone de Luca, winner of Soho House and Bombay Sapphire's UK heats and finalist in the Most Imaginative Bartender competition 2 HOUSE TONIC

HOUSE TONIC

CONTENTS 4

10

26

News from the drinks world

Bombay Sapphire Cocktail Competition

Grey Goose One While Changing

6

12

28

Friendly Bartender Mitch Counsell

Gin The guide

Spring Cocktails Seasonal recipes

8

19

29

The Trend Savoury cocktails

Toronto Best drinks in town

What I Drink on Stage Tom Burke, singer, Citizens!

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20

30

In Season Green juice

Local Drinks made near Soho Houses

Rising Stars Our stars of the bars

HOUSE TONIC COV ER S: Soho Houses New York, Toronto, London, Berlin, West Hollywood and Miami, Shoreditch House, Cafe Boheme, The Electric House and Diner, SKB, High Road House, Pizza Easts Portobello, Kentish Town and Shoreditch, Hoxton Grill, Little House, Dean Street Townhouse, Babington House, Cecconi’s in LA, London and Miami, both Chicken Shops and both Dirty Burgers.

22 Boozy Books Chosen by the experts

EDITOR'S LETTER

W

elcome to the Spring 2014 issue of House Tonic – a magazine for bartenders and people who love bars.

In this issue, we're taking a good look at gin, a spirit with a chequered history which is in the process of being re-invigorated once more. We ask Soho House Toronto bartenders and food ambassadors for the best places to drink in their city, take a look at the savoury cocktail trend and round up the best wines, beers and spirits made near and served at Soho House venues, so you can give them a try.

We also have all the drinks news from Soho House around the world.

EDITOR: Rebecca Seal DESIGN A ND A RT DIRECTION: Plus Agency PUBLISHER: Dan Flower TH A NK S TO: Sophie Roche-Garland, Kate Maxwell, Caroline Boucher, Clemency Keeler, Kate Barry, Dai Williams, Steven Joyce, Tom Kerr, Marcin Liwarski

COV ER IM AGE: Sidney Bensimon FACING PAGE: Michele Ardu

If you'd like to join one of our bar teams around the world, email housetonic@sohohouse.com.

Cheers!

www.housetonic.com housetonic@sohohouse.com twitter.com/HouseTonic www.facebook.com/HouseTonic instagram: @housetonic

HOUSE TONIC 3

NEWS

DADDY BREWS Soho Beach House Miami's Chad Love took the team to Daddy Brews, a local beer supply company that provides the raw ingredients and training needed for home brewing. Owner Jacob Lindsay led the group through the entire process of making beer and explained how adding certain types of hops and barley at different times can influence the taste and type of beer.

TEQUILA AND GIN A big thank you to Proximo for a tremendous gin and tequila training session in Soho House London. Gabriela Moncada kicked off the session with an all-you-need-to-know crash course in tequila, showed everyone how to dip limes in coarse sea salt as an accompaniment, and gave out shots of sangrita, a traditional spicy, non-alcoholic sipper which cleanses the palate. The afternoon concluded with a Boodles Gin masterclass, given in civilised fashion over a Winter Gimlet by Joe Gunner. He talked the team through the nine botanicals that give Boodles Gin its distinctive flavour and told us about the Boodles Private Members’ Club, which was founded in 1762 and serves as inspiration for the spirit.

AARON JONES

ABC OF WINE Simon Perry from Liberty Wines packed out the Electric House library with his ABC, ‘Anything But Chardonnay’ wine training. Simon kicked off the session with a brief introduction, but the main body of the training involved tasting white and red wines from the Liberty collection.

Simon talked us through the appearance, smell, structure and flavour of each wine, with hints and tips for recognising acidity, body and sweetness. A blind tasting rounded off the afternoon as Simon tested our new-found knowledge with a quiz. The audience was soon whittled down to Cristina Chiarle from Babington, who won a bottle of Vie di Romans Dessimis Pinot Grigio wine to take away with her.

MEMBERS EVENT: AWARDS SEASON COCKTAILS Head to Electric House on 8 April for a masterclass on how to make the exclusive cocktails created for the 2014 awards season by Grey Goose global brand ambassador Joe McCanta. (Look out for more details about the next one at High Road House...)

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House Tonic is happy to welcome Aaron Jones, Bacardi Brown Forman's new trainer, who will be leading trainings for all staff in the UK on their products. (He recently led some excellent gin trainings - check out his five must-try gin cocktails from page 12 onwards).

Before joining Bacardi, Aaron was behind the stick at the Beaufort Bar in the Savoy hotel and Salvatore's Bar on Brick Street, Mayfair. "I love being a trainer," he says. "I get to pass my passion and knowledge of spirits and mixed drinks onto others and hopefully excite them about the wonders of cocktail bartending and the hospitality industry as a whole.

One week quite often differs from the next – an aspect of the job in which I love – it could involve researching new training materials, drawing up presentations, conducting training sessions, the odd meeting, and a lot of emails."

HOME-MADE VERMOUTH Drinking at Soho House Toronto? Look out for cocktails made with house-made vermouths, thanks to head barback Alex Adair who has taught staff how to make it from white wine.

RAISING THE BAR In pursuit of great service, House Tonic launched its first Raising the Bar training with House Tonic Ambassador Tom Kerr in Shoreditch House library. Bartenders re-racked their skills with sessions on bar etiquette, speed of service, upselling and wine tasting. This training will roll out on the first Wednesday of every month and all members of the bar teams can attend.

NEWS

EAT DRINK NAP

REDCHURCH

Since the first Soho House members’ club opened back in 1995, its staff has been asked countless times for tips on how to recreate the experience back at home. Soho House’s first book, Eat, Drink, Nap, is a collection of ideas they’ve picked up over the years on interiors, food, entertaining and much more.

Packed with tips on everything from cooking classic roast chicken, to shaking the perfect Soho Mule, to choosing the right sofa, the experts share their secrets for contemporary living the Soho House way.

Redchurch Brewery in Bethnal Green produces uncompromising modern beers. Their experimental approach results in distinctive and adventurous flavours which are taking London by storm.

House Tonic took a group of beer enthusiasts from across our Houses and Restaurants to the brewery last week to check out how they do it.

To find out more, go to www.eatdrinknap.com

HOT CHOCS Check out the new hot chocolates on offer at Soho House Toronto, the result of intensive training from new bartender Gabriel Navarro and pastry chef Angela Leung. A dairy-free ganache serves as the base for the hot chocolate and there are several flavoured syrups to choose from.

THAT'S AMARO At Soho House New York, bar manager Camille Austin led her team in a training on all things amaro, focusing on Fernet Branca and Averna. Fernet Branca is known for its bitter and aromatic quality while Averna, from Sicily, gets its sweetness from caramel, added after the herbs, roots and citrus have been soaked. Look out for cocktails featuring the two on the SHNY lists.

HAUTE QUIZ-INE Cookhouse and House Tonic joined forces to host our first Soho House quiz night, Haute QUIZ-ine. Teams from across our UK houses, offices and restaurants battled it out to be crowned the 2014 winners. Storming into first place, the Dean Street Office team swiped the trophy, medals, aprons and a group dinner out.

BERLIN BREWERY Soho House Berlin bartenders swapped the bar for a brewery this week and checked out some local beers. They visited Berliner Kindl Schultheiss Brewery where master brewer Heiko led the visit and explained the beer-making process from start to finish and the materials and resources used, and gave a tasting of their full range.

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Simone de Luca from High Road House represented Soho House in the national finals of the Bombay Sapphire Most Imaginative Bartender comp after winning the Soho House heats (see page 10).

His steady hands, immaculate presentation and delicious cocktails wowed the audience. He presented his rustic Italian G&T on a beautiful wooden board, and pulled out a red carpet complete with a background and flashing paparazzi style lighting to present his signature serve. Huge congratulations to Simone for an impressive performance – he did Soho House proud.

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 5

FRIENDLY BARTENDER

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FRIENDLY BARTENDER Mitch Counsell, bar supervisor, Soho House Berlin

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR SOHO HOUSE? I moved to Berlin a year and a half ago with my girlfriend and I got a job at Soho House almost immediately, which I was so pleased about.

Six months ago I was made bar supervisor and took control of the morning team. It means early starts, but getting my evenings back is nice. The morning crew is amazing, with great commitment and reliability – you have to be committed if you’re going to get up at 6am every day.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST DRINK YOU EVER SERVED? Probably a glass of wine for my mum when I was about seven! Ha, no, the first cocktail I served was a Mojito at a bar in Cheltenham where I worked when I was 18. This was well before the whole cocktail thing went crazy, and after tasting a Mojito in comparison to the alcopops that we all drank then, I just thought, wow.

WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST JOB IN HOSPITALIT Y ?

I worked in an olde English country pub in the Cotswolds, then in a pool bar. Then I helped a friend open a cocktail bar in Cheltenham, which was a big step for me. He sent me on a shaker course in Birmingham and I started to get a feel for mixology.

great perks...and you get to meet the odd celeb.

CAN YOU TELL WHAT SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO DRINK JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM?

In the old days, barmen were known to be trustworthy, the kind of people you could tell anything; it’s good to bring back those old school ways. Be all ears if you can tell someone has had a crap day.

Definitely. That’s the key to good bartending.

The moment you acknowledge someone at the bar, you’re already thinking about what they want. Sometimes it’s as simple as knowing that if someone is carrying a computer and a briefcase then they’re going to want coffee and a water. Or if you get four English girls, dressed up, then they’re going to be into trying something they haven’t had before. It’s a skill you can take from the bar and into real life, because in this job you meet a lot more people than you might do if you worked in an office and you can get the gist of them much more quickly. We’re not mind readers, it’s just about experience.

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET INGREDIENT?

IF YOU COULD SERVE ANY DRINK TO ANY PERSON, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND TO WHO?

WHAT DRINK IS YOUR GUILT Y PLEASURE?

A Penicillin made with Laphroaig to Bill Murray. He’s the funniest bloke alive.

WHAT WOULD YOUR DESERT ISL AND DRINK BE? A nice bottle of Talisker or Laphroaig. A single malt from the West Coast would do me.

Provided there was water as well, of course.

Ginger. Everyone here loves our home-made ginger syrup in the mornings – we press root ginger by blending and straining it and then mix it with just a little bit of sugar. Mornings here are all about detoxing, juices and rehydration, and ginger is great for hangovers, mixed with carrot, orange and apple juice.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE BIT OF KIT? A good knife is essential. There’s nothing worse than a blunt knife and loads of lemons.

I like White Russians, Big Lebowski-style.

But they’re never good for you.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN GIVEN ANY GREAT ADVICE ABOUT BARTENDING? So much. But the best is always to carry three pens. One to use, one to lose and one to give away.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WORKING AT SOHO HOUSE BERLIN?

WHAT SKILL SHOULD ALL BARTENDERS LEARN?

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT BEING A BARTENDER?

The building alone makes you want to work here. It’s so different from everything around it and you can tell there’s a lot going on inside. You work hard, of course, like any job in this industry, but you get

Cleanliness. If you’re not clean and tidy, don’t work in a bar. And be yourself – let your guests see a little bit of your personality.

Be talkative, but know when to step back if you get the feeling you’re talking too much.

Meeting people you’d never normally meet.

Every time you get 10 minutes with someone and discover something from them, it’s like a 10-minute movie. Over the years you develop relationships with regulars and they become

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FRIENDLY BARTENDER

SOHO HOUSE BERLIN TEAM Boris Saez

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BAR? I love Amano Bar because they present the drink on a little tray with an appetiser. amanogroup.de

WH Y DO YOU LIKE BEING A BARTENDER? It’s like being an actor! You must be good with people and imaginative.

Saele Valese

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BAR? You can feel the atmosphere of days gone by at Victoria Bar, and their Corpse Reviver makes a great nightcap. victoriabar.de

WH Y DO YOU LIKE BEING A BARTENDER? Because I like giving the customer a new experience. I have a big interest in vintage and old cocktail recipes.

PH: David Sonntag

Sabih Abdulhadi

friends. If I had an office job, I’d never meet so many interesting people.

WHERE DO LIKE TO DRINK IN BERLIN?

Saturday at midnight and closes on Monday morning. It’s probably the best club in the world right now and quite a few of the DJs drink in the House. (buckandbreck.com, www.berghain.de)

Buck and Breck is a tiny bar with about 10 seats. The drinks are all made with spirits, there are no juices and there are no labels on any of the bottles. For after hours, the Berghain is a nightclub that opens on

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world?

Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BAR? The Vintage Negroni at G&T Bar is my favourite drink. amanogroup.de

WH Y DO YOU LIKE BEING A BARTENDER? It gives me an opportunity to explore my creative side. Especially when it comes to mixing fresh seasonal ingredients.

HOUSE TONIC 7

PH: Creel Films

THE TREND

PICANTE DE LA CASA 50ml / 1.75oz reposado tequila 20m1 / 0.75oz agave nectar 25 ml / 0.75oz fresh lime juice 1 small piece chilli pepper 1 stem coriander/cilantro, hand clapped Muddle the chilli, add coriander/cilantro, shake and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.



IS THIS THE END FOR SUGAR? The next big trend in drinks is savoury cocktails. Would you like bacon in your Old Fashioned?

 “These cocktails don't always lack sweetness, but have their savoury notes at the front – whether that's beetroot, bell pepper, parsnip, cucumber, fennel or bacon”

A

nyone who has visited a decent bar in the last five years will know that there's been a revolution in cocktail style. Gone are the sickly sweet, neon-coloured drinks that were so popular at the end of the last century, to be replaced by powerful and often dark or bitter drinks (your Negronis, Old Fashioneds, Sazeracs and Martinezes).

Strongly flavoured spirits like cumin-andcaraway Kummel and wormwood-flavoured absinthes are having a moment, too, in a way that would never have happened in the era of Cosmopolitans, when sticking the suffix -tini on any fruit's name would guarantee a hike in sales.

Now, though, things are moving one step further, with savoury cocktails hitting lists all over the world, partly because the barriers between chefs and bartenders have broken down still further; more communication between the two disciplines means more skill sharing, so kitchen products are more likely to find their way behind the bar. These cocktails don't always lack sweetness, but have their savoury notes at the front – whether that's beetroot, bell pepper, parsnip, cucumber or fennel, bacon (real rashers or in fat-washed

8 HOUSE TONIC

spirits), smoke or seaweed. Even using herbs you'd normally expect to cook with can add a welcome savoury note to an otherwise sweet drink – try Soho House's Picante de la Casa cocktail to see how well coriander and chilli peppers can work in a glass, add a sprig of rosemary or thyme to a peach or pear Bellini, or make a tisane with dill, tarragon, mint or basil and mix it with gin or vodka. (Be cautious, though – at a recent vodka cocktail competition in London, a competitor served a red bell pepper, basil and tomato cocktail that tasted distractingly like a pizza.)

Find more recipes in the recently released Savory Cocktails by Greg Henry; he uses green tea, pink peppercorns and yuzu in his drinks.

It's not totally new of course (but then neither are the pre-prohibition drinks we're all such fans of now). In the USA and Mexico, Micheladas have been made with clam juice and beer for years, and the Italians have been damping down sugar with amaros forever. And don't forget the Bloody Mary: the front-runner for all of this – look out for beetroot and vegetable Marys on Soho House menus

PH: Steven Joyce

IN SEASON

4

GREEN MACHINES Is there anything healthier than a glass of green juice?

A

dmittedly, if you haven't tried one before, the sight of the thick, deep dark green smoothie pictured to the right isn't necessarily going to convince you to try one, but you should. Green juices are made with in-season brassicas like kale, chard, broccoli or spinach, pressed or blended raw to release their goodness in liquid form, and then often mixed with other ingredients. Some of those ingredients, like banana or mint, serve to make the green juice taste even better, while others, like spirulina, ramp up the nutritional content even further. (Spirulina is found in lakes and bodies of still water.

It is a cyanobacteria, which are often called algae. Spirulina has been eaten by humans for thousands of years, in particular by the Aztecs.) Rather than tasting like a bizarre blend of every food a toddler would refuse to eat, the end result is fresh and surprisingly good.

Because there is no heat-treating or pasteurising with freshly squeezed juices – this goes for fresh OJ as well as for juices made with greens – more of the goodness is left intact, as heat can destroy certain delicate compounds. As soon as the cells are exposed to the air – which happens as soon as a vegetable is juiced – they begin to oxidise, so drink your green

juice quickly, because oxidation reduces the amount of goodies in the glass too.

We can't guarantee that green juice will do away with an epic hangover, turn you into Popeye or make you a better person, but since you can squeeze a whole lot more broccoli into a glass than anyone could ever bear to sit and eat, this is a great way of tricking yourself into eating more veg.

Try green juice with kale and apple at Soho Beach House; with kiwi, spirulina and mint at Electric House; with beet, kale, carrot, apple, wheatgrass, lemon and ginger at Soho House West Hollywood; with cucumber, celery and apple at Shoreditch House or with spirulina, grape, kiwi and cranberry at Babington House

4 “As you can squeeze a whole lot more broccoli into a glass than you could ever bear to sit and eat, this is a great way of tricking yourself into eating more veg”

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 9

COCKTAIL COMPETITION

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BOMBAY SAPPHIRE COCKTAIL COMPETITION House Tonic hosted the very first cocktail tournament of 2014 as part of the international Bombay Sapphire Most Imaginative Bartender Competition. Clemency Keeler reports back

T

he atmosphere at Concrete, Shoreditch, was tense. Nine of our finest Soho House bartenders had been briefed to create two cocktails: an Ultimate Bombay Sapphire Gin and Tonic Re-imagined, and a cocktail of their choice, using Bombay Sapphire, of course. The judges, Sophie Roche-Garland from House Tonic, Aaron Jones from Bacardi Brown-Forman and Little House bar manager, Jay Newell, couldn’t wait to see what the competitors were about to create. A great crowd joined us to support their colleagues and naturally the G&Ts flowed freely.

Each bartender had eight short minutes to produce both drinks. The judges were scoring on performance, presentation, imagination, taste and aroma. Each bartender brought their A-game, shaking with style, concocting delicious serves and regaling us with their bar knowledge. From savoury mixes with bruised capers and celery juice extract, to tonguetingling onion chutney and scotch bonnet quinine cordial, the judges were kept on the edge of their seats.

Once the cocktails had been presented, the judges deliberated long and hard, making our bartenders sweat for the results. In third place came Matt Warder from Babington House. His cocktails were seasonal and subtle: his G&T included spiced apple syrup, allspice and egg white, and his new invention, Pollyanna, was a twist on a Mary Pickford cocktail, with pineapple-infused manzanilla, morello cherries and lemon zest. Both cocktails were beautifully presented on flyers for Mary Pickford’s most famous films. Matt won two books about gin and a bottle of Bombay Dry Gin to take home.

Babington House performed extremely well, as second place was taken by Dave Gerrans, 10 HOUSE TONIC

Babington’s bars manager. In his specially created cocktail, Regal Revival, Dave used rhubarb syrup, lemon juice and Kamm & Sons, and finished with a spray of Cornish Pastis. He built his TG&T with bay-infused Martini Bianco, Darjeeling tea, tonic water and two dashes of grapefruit bitters. Both of Dave’s drinks were inspired by the East India Trading Company and the British Empire. Dave talked confidently and knowledgeably, which helped him rack up points from the judges.

The best drinks of the night were – once again – served by Simone de Luca from High Road House, who was inspired to create his G&T by the Oasis song, Supersonic, which features gin. Italian-born Simone wanted to convey a little of his Mediterranean soul in his recipe, and with kaffir lime leaves, a dash of Henry Thomas tonic bitters and Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic, he concocted a stunning twist on the classic. His newly created Fairbank cocktail was no less impressive, and combined a tropical mix of pineapple with lemon and yuzu juice, mint leaves, Martini Extra Dry and gin. Simone explained his thought processes eloquently and wowed the judges with his knowledge of the product.

He took home a large gold Bombay Sapphire cobbler shaker and a bottle of Bombay Dry Gin.

Winner of the competition Simone de Luca

As our winner, Simone then represented Soho House at the UK and Ireland Final of the Most Imaginative Bartender, at which he made all at Soho House very proud.

A massive congratulations and thank you to all our nine contestants. Your style, personalities and innovative recipes made it a really special evening and the judges were highly impressed by the skills on show

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com

COCKTAIL COMPETITION

Innovative G&Ts

Competitor Flavio Wijesinghe at work

B "Winner Simone then represented Soho house at the UK and Ireland final of the Most Imaginative Bartender, where he made all at Soho House very proud"

THE WINNER: SIMONE DE LUCA, HIGH ROAD HOUSE

2 N D PL ACE: DAVE GERR ANS BABINGTON HOUSE

3 R D PL ACE: MAT T WARDER BABINGTON HOUSE

FAIRBANK 5 mint leaves 5ml / 0.15oz simple syrup 10ml / 0.3oz Martini Extra Dry 20ml / 0.75oz lemon/yuzu juice mix 20ml / 0.75oz pineapple juice 60ml / 2oz Bombay Sapphire

REGAL REVIVAL 50ml / 1.75oz Bombay Sapphire 20ml / 0.75oz lemon 15ml / 0.5oz rhubarb syrup 15ml / 0.5oz Kamm & Sons spray Cornish Pastis

POLLYANNA 50ml / 1.75oz Bombay Sapphire 25ml / 0.75oz pineapple-infused manzanilla 7.5ml / 0.25oz Maraschino 1 barspoon morello cherry liqueur

Shake and double strain into a martini glass.

Mist with barrel-aged orange bitters spray.

Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Finish with a mist of Cornish pastis.

Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass glass, garnish with a lemon zest.

SIMONE’S ULTIMATE GIN AND TONIC 50ml / 1.75oz Bombay Sapphire 3 kaffir lime leaves 10 dashes Henry Thomas tonic bitters Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic thyme and dried lemon peel to garnish

DAVE’S ULTIMATE GIN AND TONIC: TG&T 50ml / 1.75oz Bombay Sapphire 15ml / 0.5oz bay-infused Martini Bianco 2 dashes grapefruit bitters Darjeeling tea Tonic water

MATT’S ULTIMATE GIN AND TONIC: SUDS TONIC 50ml / 1.75oz Bombay Sapphire 15ml / 0.5oz lemon juice approx 100ml / 3.25 oz tonic water 1 egg white pinch allspice 20ml / 0.75oz spiced apple syrup

Build all ingredients in a highball glass over fresh cubed ice. Garnish with thyme and dried lemon peel.

Build all ingredients, except tonic water, in a highball glass over fresh ice. Top with tonic water.

Add gin, lemon and tonic to high ball with ice. Dry shake egg, all spice and syrup, add to glass.

HOUSE TONIC 11

PH: Steven Joyce

GIN

GIN Sometime back in the 1870s, someone stirred the first Martini. It probably comprised roughly three quarters gin and a quarter sweet red vermouth. Nowadays, it might be called a Hearst. It probably wasn’t called a Martini even then. But it was the godfather of the crystal clear, killer strong and completely different drink that gets people in a twist today. It would have been delicious, but unrecognisable to modern tastes. Dry vermouth was first added around the end of that century, in about the same proportions as sweet was used before, but by the 1930s and 1940s the naked Martini was the thing to drink, with only the barest whiff of vermouth swirled around the glass. By the 1960s, vodka had taken over from gin as the Martini base of choice. All those execs who believed they could have three vodka martinis and no lunch without the smell giving them away helped push gin into the shadows until the very end of last century, when it re-emerged, ready for yet another re-invention.

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GIN

GIN "A perfect martini should be made by filling a glass with gin then waving it in the general direction of Italy.� Noel Coward HOUSE TONIC 13

GIN

A ARON JONES IS BACARDI BROWN FORMAN'S NEW DRINKS TR AINER AND GIN EXPERT. OVER THE NEXT FIVE PAGES HE INTRODUCES FIVE GIN COCK TAILS TO TRY BEFORE YOU DIE 1 DRY GIN MARTINI 50ml / 1.75oz Bombay Sapphire Gin 10ml / 0.3oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth

Stir both ingredients over ice, serve straight up in a classic Martini glass (5:1 is my preferred ratio but the perfect ratio is down to the individual drinker).

The origins of the dry Martini are lost in myth and legend. A handful of people claim to have invented this iconic drink, but where is unknown. We do know that the drink was most likely created at the turn of the twentieth century and that it is probably a descendant of the Manhattan and the Martinez.

Today, gin is growing 5.8 per cent faster than the spirits sector as a whole. Like or loathe cucumber-heavy Hendricks, it was this gin, launched in 1999, that had a major role in revitalising the market – their madcap schemes (like serving gin in teacups on glass stems or clip-clopping around in horsedrawn bars), and adoption of Victoriana-style branding helped change the face of a drink that was mostly – and unfairly – associated with depression and tearful older women. In just a few years, gin got cool, and new botanicals and aromatics started to be chucked in the stills: tea leaves, grapefruit, saffron, coconut, raspberry, elderflower, heather. Look out for gins from Sipsmith in Soho House West Hollywood as well as its native London, or check out the New York Distillery’s Dorothy Parker gin, on offer in Soho House New York, and have a sip of Monkey 47, a top-notch gin from Germany, available at Soho House Berlin.

OXLEY Made by the excellent Thames Distillers, this contains 14 botanicals, including iris root, grains of paradise and meadowsweet, which makes it sound like some kind of love potion.

Fresh, herbal and zesty.

TANQUERAY First made in 1832, this is one of the oldest gins in the world, still made to the same recipe, with juniper, angelica root, coriander and licorice.

PLYMOUTH NAVY STRENGTH This is one hell of a powerful gin. It’s sold at 57% (hence ‘Navy Strength’) and that whopping hit of alcohol means it packs a punch in flavour too.

HAYMAN’S 1850 RESERVE Made to a nineteenth century recipe and aged in oak, which gives it a complex finish and lots of pine in the mouth.

5 CL ASSIC GINS TO TRY BEFORE YOU DIE

making it a pale amber colour. Served very cold, its subtle oakiness makes it good enough to sip neat.

TANQUERAY MALACCA Created in the 1990s and discontinued by 2001, it is thanks to bartenders worldwide that we can now drink – in admittedly very limited amounts – this Old Tom-esque, sweet and citrussy gin. Bartenders all over the world clamoured for its return when production ceased. It was re-released in 2013, and is a very good cocktail gin, especially in a Martinez.

AVIATION A most unusual gin from America, this doesn’t have juniper as its defining flavour, although it does contain it. It is made with rye spirit, and 'democratically' blended juniper, cardamom, coriander, lavender, anise, sarsaparilla and orange peel.

G’VINE A floral and delicate gin made from ugni blanc grapes in Cognac, France.

5 NEW GINS TO TRY BEFORE YOU DIE BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Launched in 1988 in its distinctive squared off bright blue bottle (which still leads people to expect blue gin), this shook up the market, and remains one of the leaders in its field.

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BURROUGH’S RESERVE BY BEEFEATER Also made to a nineteenth century recipe, in an original nineteenth century still and then aged in Jean de Lillet aperitif wine casks,

GIN MARE This gin from Spain is made from one of the most unusual botanicals about: the Arbequina olive, basil, thyme and rosemary. Excellent in a G&T garnished with any of the three herbs.

GIN

Hogarth’s famous painting of Gin Lane, depicting gin ravaging London, was actually commissioned by the brewing industry, which was desperate to lure people back to ale and away from distilled liquor. The flipside of it showed Beer Street, full of round-bellied, rosy-cheeked locals, swigging stout. Ironic, given that it has repeatedly been used by prohibitionists wanting to prove the evils of alcohol in general.

GIN

PH: Sidney Bensimon

“I like to have a Martini, two at the very most; three, I’m under the table, four I’m under my host.” Dorothy Parker

2 PENDENNIS COCKTAIL 50ml / 1.75oz Bombay Sapphire Gin 20ml / 0.75oz Apricot Brandy 10ml / 0.3oz Fresh Lime Juice 1 dash peychard bitters garnish: one fresh black cherry or the thin peel of a lemon

3 FLORADORA 50ml / 1.75oz Bombay Sapphire gin 20ml / 0.75oz fresh lime juice 20ml / 0.75oz raspberry syrup or Chambord top with a good quality ginger ale garnish: fresh raspberry and a lime wedge.

Shake all ingredients with ice and serve straight up, no ice, in a fancy cocktail glass.

Garnish with black cherry or thin lemon peel.

Pour the Bombay Sapphire, raspberry syrup and lime into a highball glass, add ice, give the ingredients a quick stir to mix together and top the drink with ginger ale.

The origins of this drink, as well as its name, are said to lie with one of Kentucky’s oldest members clubs. The Louisville institute is said to be the home of the Old Fashioned. (AJ)

This drink was born at the turn of the twentieth entury and is named after a West End musical. This is a long, refreshing drink perfect for the spring and summer. (AJ)

4 THE LAST WORD 45ml / 1.5oz Bombay Sapphire Gin 15ml / 0.5oz Green Chartreuse 15ml / 0.5oz Maraschino Liqueur 15ml / 0.5oz Lime

Shake all ingredients with ice and serve straight up in a fancy cocktail glass. This masterpiece of a drink is left ungarnished.

This cocktail may be the last of the true classic cocktails, having been first listed in Ted Saucier’s Bottom’s Up 1951, where it was attributed to The Detroit Athletic Club. This mixed drink was practically forgotten until it was recently championed by New York’s Pegu Club and Seattle-based bartender Murray Stenson in 2005. If you need to be convinced of how elegant and complex a mixed drink can be, try this. (AJ) HOUSE TONIC 15

GIN

Botanicals found in gin

GIN FACTS GIN is a flavoured spirit, which makes it different to other spirits. Vodka, whisky and tequila all depend to a greater or lesser extent for their flavour on the starches used to make them (potatoes, grain or agave) the method of distillation and how they’re aged. Not so with gin. With gin, it’s almost all about the botanicals: first, most important and a legal requirement is juniper, then things like anise, coriander, cardamom, citrus peel or cinnamon.

GENEVER was the forerunner of modern gin, which eclipsed it in popularity. While still predominantly juniper-flavoured, it’s actually a mixture of spirit and un-aged whisky or malt wine, so unlike almost all other gins, tastes of what it is made with as well as what it is flavoured with. It is usually drunk neat, in a chilled glass.

OLD TOM GIN was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, and is a sweeter, more richly flavoured style. Because distilling was less of a precise art then, gin had a tendency to taste pretty rough. To get round this, distillers – both professional and bathtub – added sugar and stronger flavourings to make it more palatable.

16 HOUSE TONIC

LONDON DRY GIN doesn’t have to be made in London, which can be confusing. Instead, it refers to the crisp style of gin that the invention of the Coffey still made possible in the 1830s. This purer gin tasted better and needed less sugar to make it drinkable. Legally, it can’t be coloured or made with artificial flavourings and has to be re-distilled with all its botanicals.

PLYMOUTH GIN is both a brand and a style: a gin that has to be made in Plymouth, Devon, England, with water from nearby Dartmoor. It tends to be full-flavoured and high in alcohol.

NEW WESTERN DRY GIN is a novel term, which may or may not catch on, and is designed to take in the flurry of new gins being invented that don’t have juniper as their main event.

CREAM GIN was originally a Victorian concoction, made with cream and sugar (perhaps to mask the flavour of some gins at the time). Thanks to cold distillation techniques, cream gins are now being produced that are clear and don’t need to be kept chilled, while still tasting of the cream they were originally blended with.

JUNIPER was used as a completely useless treatment for plague during the Black Death in the 14th century.

DUTCH COURAGE was what British soldiers needed when fighting in Holland alongside Dutch protestant soldiers in the 16th century. It came in the form of a slug or two of genever, knocked back before battle. The soldiers brought the phrase and the drink back to Britain with them after the war.

THE GIN CRAZE took place over about 30 years from 1720 onwards. The lifting of rules around distilling meant that every man and his neighbour could start making gin – and they did: around one in every four buildings in some areas of London was home to a still. The poor weren’t used to strong liquor and addiction and over-consumption ravaged the population, particularly women and children. Booze was home-made, horribly strong and often diluted with turpentine or other poisons. It took seven Gin Acts of Parliament, followed by an all-out ban on distilling from English grain because of poor harvests, to get a grip on the problem.

By the 1760s, the poor were back on beer.

GIN

MARTINI MATHS BB

Plymouth Gin

BBBB

0:1 B

B

French Vermouth

Plymouth Gin

B

+

Orange Bitters

Italian Vermouth

+

= HOFFMAN HOUSE Orange Flower Water

= TS PHE CEI ASL A VM AOR YT I'NSI

the ratio of vermouth to gin favoured by Winston Churchill, who liked only to look at a bottle of vermouth, while necking neat gin.

=

VERMOUTH B B B B B B B GIN =

10:1

10 PARTS GIN TO 1 PART VERMOUTH, RINSED OUT

B BB B

Plymouth Gin

GIN/VODKA +

15:1

B

Italian Vermouth

EMBURY MARTINI

as favoured by the great drinks writer himself

N A POPULAR K E D IN MTHEAPOST-WAR R T I NERAI = FIRST +

Angostura Bitters

= HEARST

≠

Let’s get that straight

Orange and

ANYTHING OTHER THAN VERMOUTH AND BITTERS

A MARTINI

The ratio of gin to vermouth in a M ontgomer y mar tini.

N a m e d a f t e r F i e l d M a r s h a l l M o n t g o m e r y, c o m m a n d e r i n W WII, who preferred this ratio in both martinis and in t h e n u m b e r o f t r o o p s h e w o u l d o u t n u m b e r h i s e n e m y b y.

VODKA

L I L L E T VESPER = B L A N C M A R T I N I as seen in Casino Royale a n d i n ve n t e d f o r B o n d author Ian Fleming at Duke’s Hotel, London, in the 1950s

BBB

GIN

+

+

COCKTAIL ONION + GIBSON + ABSINTHE = 3RD DEGREE 1 g i n m a r t i n i + 1 t s p o l i v e b r i n e a n d (c o n t r o v e r s i a l l y) 2 o l i v e s = a D i r t y M a r t i n i a s d r u n k b y F D R R o o s e v e l t (a l t h o u g h h e w a s n ’ t a d i s c i p l i n e d m i x o l o g i s t a n d h i s m a r t i n i s w e r e r a r e l y t h e s a m e d r i n k t w i c e) HOUSE TONIC 17

GIN

All pictures: gin training at Soho House New York

5

GIMLET 75ml / 2.5oz Bombay Sapphire gin 20ml / 0.75oz lime cordial (for a more modern twist use a seasonal cordial of your choice – at the moment I love spiced rhubarb, or pomelo and pink peppercorn) dash fresh lime juice (optional)

GIN TR AINING Soho House bartenders are regularly treated to bespoke training from the best brands.

Recently, Bombay Sapphire and Boodles gins have visited the teams to share their knowledge of the category. Bombay Sapphire even hosted the latest Soho House cocktail competition, with the winner gaining a place in the national Most Imaginative Bartender competition (see page 10).

“The gin world is a warm community,” says Joe Gunner, brand ambassador for Boodles.

“There’s none of this, ‘my gin’s better than your gin.'” During his training session, he talked about the history of the brand, named after a members club, Boodles, which was set up in the 1700s on St James, London, and still exists. “In Boodles, the big four botanicals are juniper, coriander, cassia and angelica root, followed by angelica seed, sage and rosemary, which give greener flavours, caraway seed oil and nutmeg.”

18 HOUSE TONIC

Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. To create a homemade lime cordial, mix 500g/1 lb of caster sugar with 250ml/1 cup water in a saucepan and bring both ingredients to the boil. Once at the boil add the peel of 5 limes (only the peel, no flesh or pith), take off the heat, add one teaspoon of citric acid, and allow to cool. Once back at room temperature remove the lime peel, bottle and refrigerate.

This was originally the drink of British Naval officers and dates back to the late 1800s.

Simple yet perfectly balanced, and if you use an alternative cordial instead of lime, you can change it to suit your favourite flavours. (AJ)

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com

DRINK TORONTO

S PA D

NT ST OSSIN GTON

KO RE A TOW N

ST

BLOO

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3 ORD HARB

ST DUND

8 5

4

9

AS ST

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GE COLL A

H A RB O RD V IL L AGE

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LIT TL E ITA LY

10

ST U N IV

DU FFERIN GR OV E

1

VE INA A

DUPO

DOW NTOW N

CHIN ATOW N

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FA SHIO N DIS TRIC T

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6

B

DRINK TORONTO Soho House Toronto’s staff know a thing or two about terrific drinks and where to find them, so we asked for a few of their favourites.

THE OXLE Y 1

A British-style pub, cosily done out, with a great drinks list. 121 Yorkville Avenue, theoxley.com

FOOD & LIQUOR Scrumptious small plates and 6

HOOF COCK TAIL BAR A good beer and wine 2

an interesting wine list. 1610 Queen West, @FoodandLiquorTO

THE HARBORD ROOM

list, but cocktails are the main event. Part of the much-loved Black Hoof restaurant.

923 Dundas St West, hoofcocktailbar.com

7

NORTHWOOD BAR

Cocktails and craft beers, plus excellent snacks. 815 Bloor St West, northwoodto.ca

8

SKIN + BONES

A terrific wine-focused restaurant, with dishes that are designed with particular wines in mind. 980 Queen St East, skinandbonesto.com

9

REPOSADO

10

Cracking cocktails and a smart food menu too. 89 Harbord Street, theharbordroom.com

SOHO HOUSE TORONTO 192 Adelaide St W, sohohousetoronto.com

YOURS TRULY 3

High end and experimental food and a thoughtfully curated cocktail list.

229 Ossington Avenue, yours-truly.ca

MONTAUK BAR 4

A teeny spot with handmade cocktails as well as a few favourites on tap. Get there early. 765 Dundas St West, barmontauk.com

DAKOTA TAVERN 5

This bar is home to Toronto’s biggest collection of top notch tequila.

136 Ossington Avenue, reposadobar.com

Live music and cold beer is their tagline, and that pretty much sums this place up – it’s all about bluegrass, folk and serving local beers. 249 Ossington Avenue, thedakotatavern.com HOUSE TONIC 19

DRINK LOCAL

+

DRINK LOCAL Want to reduce your booze miles? Try these tipples, made near Soho House venues around the world.

LONDON REDCHURCH BREWERY Redchurch beers are made in small batches, just up the road from Shoreditch House. The bar teams take regular trips to see beers being made in a railway arch in Bethnal Green. The beers are named after local areas: at Shoreditch House, try the Hackney Gold, a rich amber ale with citrussy notes, or Bethnal Pale, a good clean, malty bitter. theredchurchbrewery.com KAMM & SONS A brilliant new aperitif devised by drinks expert Alex Kammerling (look out for Soho House events with him in future), this is great on its own, with tonic or bitter lemon, and makes a terrific cocktail ingredient. A perfect balance of bitter and sweet, it’s made with ginseng, milk thistle and manuka honey, among many other things, so – in theory anyway – it may even be good for you, in moderation... kammandsons.com CAMDEN TOWN BREWERY At Electric House you can sample Gentlemen’s Wit, a wheat beer made at the nearby Camden Brewery, which is just a few years old. It's made with bergamot added to the brew – this means the beer has a wonderful floral and citrus thing going on, like alcoholic Earl Grey tea. In a good way. camdentownbrewery

TORONTO MILL STREET BREWERY This award-winning brewery and pub was kind enough to play host to the last Soho House Toronto staff party, as well as giving the crew tours of the brewery and full seasonal tastings. Look out for two of their extremely tasty beers on tap at the House. millstreetbrewery.com 20 HOUSE TONIC

DILLON’S SPIRITS “We’ve recently brought in some spirits from a, cool new distillery in Niagara called Dillon’s,” says House sommelier Zinta Steprans. “The owner is a young guy in his twenties who has always had a passion for bitters and boutique spirits and is now making vodka, gin and white rye with pretty much all the ingredients sourced locally. Dillon’s also makes delicious bitters and now they’ve started making a local version of Poire William.” dillons.ca COUNTY CIDER COMPANY You’ll find Waupoos cider on the list at Soho House Toronto – in the words of sommelier Zinta Steprans, it’s “crisp, dry and delish!” countycider.com HIDDEN BENCH Soho House Toronto’s wine list features several wines from local wine regions, Niagara and Prince Edward County. Hidden Bench’s chardonnay is often available by the glass, as well as their rosé in the summer, and look out for special wines on the reserve list too.

The vineyard is run as sustainably as possible, and the team works hard to make tasty wines with as little intervention as possible. hiddenbench.com

the legendary restaurant, Jones Hollywood.

The olive brine is twice-filtered, first-press.

No more using the olive juice, if you can call it that, that comes packed with your olives.”

GIORNATA The Giornata wines served at Cecconi's include orange pinot grigio or nebbiolo at Cecconi’s West Hollywood. Giornata is run by a very driven young couple, who were so determined to grow and make Italian-style wines in California’s Central Coast area, they spent their honeymoon visiting Italian wineries. End result? Really special wines. giornatawines.com FRESNO CHILE PEPPERS "The House Tonic Picante de la Casa cocktail was born in Los Angeles when I found Fresno chile peppers,” says Chris Ojeda. The peppers were first grown in 1952 in California and are named after a Californian city and county.

"They complement the cocktail so well and it has become a Soho House classic worldwide," he says. "It’s even started popping up on other cocktail menus around the world.” (For recipe see page 28.)

NEW YORK STRATUS Another winery local to the House is Stratus, whose Cabernet ice wine is on the list.

Made from grapes left on the vine until the temperature drops well below freezing, these are intensely flavoured, beautifully rich wines. stratuswines.com

CALIFORNIA DIRTY SUE OLIVE BRINE “For dirty martinis!” explains Soho House West Hollywood's Chris Ojeda. “It is made by local bartender Eric Tecosky who runs

DOROTHY PARKER GIN Made by the New York Distilling Company, which was founded in 2008 to bring a little of New York’s boozy history to the present day, this is a terrific gin. Its botanicals include juniper and elderberries, citrus, cinnamon and hibiscus. nydistilling.com HUDSON BABY BOURBON The first legal pot-distilled whiskey made in New York since Prohibition, this is one hell of a good bourbon. It’s so local, it’s even made with New York corn. Look out for it on the list at Soho House New York. tuthilltown.com

DRINK LOCAL

Dillon’s Spirits

SOMERSET SHAWSGATE BACCHUS A glorious wine from Suffolk (admittedly, we're stretching the definition of local, but it's too good to miss), available at Babington House. This is a classic example of the bacchus grape, which makes wonderful coolclimate wines.

SOMERSET CIDER BRANDY Somerset cider brandy is made by the inimitable Julian Temperley, who fought hard to get it recognised with a protection of geographic origin. For the virtuous, there is also apple juice from the same farm, Burrow Hill, although for three months a year, you can drink juice from Babington’s walled gardens. ciderbrandy.co.uk BUTCOMBE BITTER Made just a few miles from Babington House using Maris Otter malt and a secret blend of hops, this is a seriously good pint, which regularly picks up medals in competitions.

You probably don’t care about that though: all you need to know is how good it tastes, out on the lawn in the sun.

Kamm & Sons aperitif

BERLIN MONKEY 47 GIN There are 23 German wines on Soho House Berlin’s list, so they're already flying the flag for local producers. But you may not have heard of Monkey 47, an award-winning gin from the Black Forest, which gets its name from the 47 botanicals it contains (including, unusually, cranberries), and the fact that it’s bottled at a very healthy 47% ABV

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com

Tank House Ale from Mill Street Brewery

Dorothy Parker Gin

HOUSE TONIC 21

BOOKS ON BOOZE



THE BEST BOOKS ON BOOZE Whether you’re a thinking drinker or work in the industry, there are now hundreds of books available about beer, wine, spirits and cocktails.

To help you navigate this vast liquid library, we asked experts and bartenders from around the world to share their top picks with us Photographs by Steven Joyce

Jim Meehan is the man behind PDT (Ple ase Don’t Tell) one of New York's best spe ake asy bar s , author of the PDT Cocktail Book and a contributing editor at Food & Wine magazine. (pdtnyc .com)

Simon Dif ford is an award-winning cock tail and spirit s exper t, and is author of the diffordsguide cock tail book s and Gin: the Bartender’s Bible. (dif fordsguide.com)

9 Jeff Berry’s Potions of the Caribbean is the crown jewel in the growing cache of books he’s authored on rum cocktails and their culture. After focusing on tiki for many years, Jeff broadens his lens to chronicle the socio-political developments that shaped the region, people, and places where some of the most famous and not-yet-famous tropical cocktails originated.

7 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David Embury was written in 1948. Embury was a lawyer whose hobby was bartending. His commentary on many of the drinks and his opinionated style make this much more than just a book of cocktail recipes. His drink formulas have shaped many of my own and this book remains a must-read for serious bartenders. 1 Punch by David Wondrich is far more up to date and by the best drinks writer ever to live. Dave’s witty writing style is particularly amusing when he, an American, writes that it was probably an Englishman who made the first cocktail.

Gaz Regan is a bar tender, writer and drink s trainer with an international reputation. He has trained some of the best bar tender s in the world, helped found the Institute of Mindful B ar tending and work s with brands like Diageo and Pernod-Ric ard as well as judging cock tail competitions . He is author of several book s , including The Joy of Mixology; his email newslet ter is a must re ad. (w w w.gazregan.com) My favourites are: 7 The Fine Art of Mixing 12 The Savoy Drinks by David Embury; 12 Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock; Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em by Stanley Clisby Arthur and The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks by Dale DeGroff.

Alex Kratena is he ad bar tender at Ar tesian in London, 2013 no. 1 bar in the World’s 50 Best B ar s Awards , and drink s consultant. (ar tesian-bar.co.uk) Drinks by Tony Conigliaro is a great book, full of interesting insight into his unique and creative processes. Imbibe by David Wondrich is probably the most comprehensive book on classic drinks. The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan is the best all-round book for any bartender (or aspiring bartender).

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Tony Conigliaro is an award-winning bar tender, author of Drinks, bar owner and consultant, and runs the show at bar s 69 Colebrook Row and the Zet ter Townhouse. (69colebrookerow.com)

Tristan Stephenson is direc tor of Fluid Movement bar s and event s , and author of The Curious Bartender (fluid-movement.com)

7 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David A. Embury; 1 Punch by David Wondrich; The Craft of the Cocktail by Dale DeGroff; and The Barman’s Sixth Sense by H Zumbado, are my favourite books about drink.

The History Of The World In Six Glasses by Tom Standage is a concise but incredibly broad overview of where drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) came from and why they are such an important part of society today.

22 HOUSE TONIC

2

11

BOOKS ON BOOZE

1

Punch by David Wondrich (2010)

2

The Flowing Bowl by William Schmidt

3

The Science and Commerce of Whisky

by Ian Buxton and Paul Hughes

4

The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit

5

Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol

by Iain Gately

6

Drinks by Tony Conigliaro

7

The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David A. Embury

8

Drink Me by Matt Walls

9

Potions of the Caribbean by Jeff Berry

10

The Curious Bartender by Tristan Stephenson

11

What to Drink With What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page

12

The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock

1

3

…And A Bottle Of Rum by Wayne Curtis is an easy-reading history of rum, which will make you think a little deeper about the spirit that shaped the modern world (no, really). 12 The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock is the definitive and classic cocktail book from the golden era of European bartending. 2 The Flowing Bowl by William Schmidt is an underrated classic cocktail book of epic proportions. It was well before its time and dabbled in seriously complex drinks when everyone else settled with simple classics.

12

Charles MacLe an is a whisk y writer and author of 10 book s on the subjec t, including the James Be ard award-winning Whisky: A Liquid History, and Whiskypedia; he is also spirit s judge at the International Wines & Spirit s Competition and a Keeper of the Q uaich. (whisk ymax.co.uk) Whisky by Aeneas Macdonald was published in 1930, but reprinted in 2007. It is my favourite book on Scotch. The reprint has an intro by Ian Buxton, who published a really excellent book this year with Professor Paul S. Hughes: 3 The Science and Commerce of HOUSE TONIC 23

BOOKS ON BOOZE

 "The Flowing Bowl: When and What to Drink, by a William Schmidt, was published back in 1892 but is a perfect starter book for bartenders who are curious about everything from drinking history and physiology, to ethnography, etiquette, mixing and even poetry about drink"

Punch by David Wondrich

Whisky (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2014). I also recently enjoyed The King’s County Guide to Urban Moonshining by Colin Spoelman and David Haskell (Abrams, NYC, 2013), which I think is the best introduction to American whiskey currently available.

Paul Cowlishaw, S oho House Toronto The Drunken Botanist by Amy N Stewart was recommended to me by a friend and it’s fascinating. I’ve definitely gained a different perspective and it has broadened my knowledge of spirits. With its drink recipes and gardening tips, it’s even inspired me to grow more herbs, spices and vegetables in preparation for spring.

This guide gives you recommendations from some of the top chefs and sommeliers in the world. It is easy to look up a wine or a food and find great pairing recommendations along with informative write ups about why these pairings make sense. A perfect book for when you’re stumped or are just looking for a new experience.

Murat Celik, bar tender S oho House 2 The Flowing Bowl: When and What to Drink,

by A William Schmidt was published back in 1892 but is a perfect starter book for bartenders who are curious about everything from drinking history and physiology, to ethnography, etiquette, mixing and even poetry about drinks.

Jamie Lehane and Alex s andro De Ros a, Hox ton Grill Juan S evilla, S oho House West Holly wood Vintage Spirits And Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh is a fascinating walk through lesserknown but much-loved classics. The pictures alone – of antique books and bottles – will have bartending geeks salivating. Whiskypedia

by Charles MacLean is a comprehensive but approachable book about a difficult category.

It will certainly have you wanting to savour different types of whisky.

Zinta Steprans , S oho House Toronto sommelier Mark Oldman’s Guide to Outsmarting Wine is the one book I recommend to absolutely anyone getting into wine. It’s a fun, straightforward read that does a great job of explaining wine terms, structure and culture. It was one of my first books and remains a favourite. Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page’s 11 What To Drink With What You Eat is a great resource on one of my favourite topics: food and wine pairing.

24 HOUSE TONIC

Home Bar Basics (and Not so Basics) by Dave Stolte is great for industry professionals and home bartenders alike. It really does bring things back to basics which I appreciate. The book is beautifully illustrated and fun to read.

Chad Love, S oho Be ach House Miami Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic CureAll, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons is a favourite for a few reasons, most notably the author’s take on the history and journey of the elixir: from nearly being 86d during Prohibition to becoming an essential ingredient. Aside from the history aspect, the book is instructional in a few different ways, including creating your own blend of bitters and cooking with bitters, plus it contains more than 70 cocktail recipes to add to a barkeep’s arsenal of knowledge.

Camille Austin, S oho House New York I love How to Booze: Exquisite Cocktails and Unsound Advice by Marshall Altier and Jordan Kaye because it’s naughty, clever and absolutely hilarious. Written by two fellow New York bartenders, it discusses real-life situations and the right drink for every occasion you may find yourself in. My favourite chapter is called Stalking Your Ex. The perfect subway read on the train ride to work!

Ben Fit zgerald, De an Street Townhouse My favourite book, Imbibe by David Wondrich, is quite a common choice among bartenders.

It’s a great read, which focuses on The Professor, Jerry Thomas. It includes recipes but it also teaches you about the equipment used back then so you can see just how much we have evolved – and also how little. It really has helped me understand the origins of the classics we know today.

Dave Gerrans , B abington House One of my favourite books isn’t about booze at all, which is strange. Fix the Pumps, by Darcy S O’Neil, is about the rise of the soda fountain in America during Prohibition.

It recounts the first attempts at carbonating liquids and has loads of great syrup recipes in the back that give an insight into American palates back then. Some of the drugs involved might be slightly against the law now though...

Ror y Mar tin, Piz z a East Shoreditch American Bar: Artistry of Mixing Drinks by

BOOKS ON BOOZE

Charles Schumann is a wonderful book given to me by a regular customer back when I managed an American-style bar, many moons ago. The classy maroon cover and black type on this neat little volume are quite fitting. It is a fountain of cocktail knowledge, sprinkled with Schumann’s own advice – for instance, alongside the recipe for Long Island Iced Tea, he wryly remarks, “I personally never pour vodka and gin together”, which I can’t help but agree with. It’s nice to get behind the bar and knock up some drinks using this little gem as your guide.

Chris Tomset t, S oho House suppor t of fice Whisky by Michael Jackson (seriously), is THE definitive guide to all things beginning with w and ending in hisk[e]y. It covers traditional Scotch whisky and whiskey from the Emerald Isle as well as new world American, Japanese and even Polish whiskies. With tasting notes on the big classics, guides to the smallest distilleries, plus Tokyo bars and even how to order, this book will set you up for a deep, flavourful experience wherever you are.

Slàinte mhath!

Rebecc a S e al, House Tonic editor and drink s writer The Oxford Companion to Wine, edited by Jancis Robinson, is a huge book, packed with every wine fact you could possibly want. It weighs a ton but I often take it travelling with me so that I can read up on local grapes and vineyards wherever I am. Everything is crossreferenced, so I often lose hours to flicking backwards and forwards through the book, learning new things all the time. The Oxford Companion to Beer, edited by the brewer Garret Oliver, is equally comprehensive. I also

The Savoy Cocktail Book

love 5 Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol by Iain Gately, which digs back as far as possible through humanity’s long love affair with inebriation and 10 The Curious Bartender by Tristan Stephenson, one of the most inventive bartenders working at the moment

Thanks to Cocktail Kingdom for the loan of several books for our photo shoot: to buy new and reproductions drinks books visit cocktailkingdom. co.uk or cocktailkingdom.com.

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 25

PH: Gesi Schilling

GREY GOOSE



ONE WHILE CHANGING Staying in one of Soho House’s hotels? Don’t miss out on One While Changing, your chance to have a bartender come to your room and make cocktails for you while you get ready for the evening. We took a trip to Soho Beach House to find out more.

One While Changing in action

Cre ated in par tner ship with Grey Goose Vodka, One While Changing me ans that you get one-on-one at tention from a S oho House bar tender bet ween 6pm and 8pm. B ar manager Chad Love explains .

“We primarily offer House Tonic cocktails and a few craft cocktails – the Picante de la Casa, Eastern Standard and the Soho Mule – but if the guest wants something else then of course 26 HOUSE TONIC

we can make up something to their taste,” says Chad. Each bartender has the option of offering a bespoke cocktail of their own invention, too. It takes around 15 minutes for a round of drinks to be made up, all created using ingredients brought to the bedroom on one of the House’s beautiful drinks trolleys.

“If there’s time, we can go back later and make another round,” says Chad.

Naturally, guests love to get their drinks served this way – what could be better than having a freshly made cocktail while you decide on your evening outfit, or catch up with your friends or partner at the end of the day? “It is really popular,” says Chad. “The bar teams really love to work this way. It’s great for building a relationship during that guest’s stay with us.”

GREY GOOSE

THIS COCK TAIL WAS CREATED FOR THE ONE WHILE CHANGING COCK TAIL TROLLE Y MENU

BY BILL BINDER, HEAD BARTENDER AT SOHO BEACH HOUSE FLORIDA SOUR 60ml / 2oz Grey Goose L’Orange vodka 30ml / 1oz fresh lemon juice 30ml / 1oz simple syrup float of Malbec red wine orange zest Serve on the rocks, with a float of Malbec, garnished with orange zest.

 “It takes around 15 minutes for a round of drinks to be made up, all created with ingredients brought to the bedroom on one of the House’s beautiful drinks trolleys”

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 27

COCKTAILS

SPRING COCKTAILS

BY JAMES BOWERS, SOHO HOUSE WEST HOLLY WOOD MOMMA SUZE 60ml / 2 oz Bombay Sapphire 30ml / 1 oz Koval rose hip liqueur 15ml / 0.5 oz lemon juice 15ml / 0.5 oz simple syrup

PH: Sidney Bensimon

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

BY WILL ROGERS, PIZZA EAST KENTISH TOWN DECEASED TEA 40ml / 1.5oz Bacardi Oakheart spiced rum 20ml / 0.75oz orgeat 15ml / 0.5oz lemon juice 35ml / 1oz very strong Earl Grey tea lemon wedge to garnish

STOCK UP FOR SPRING

1

Mix all ingredients apart from tea. Shake then strain over ice into a high ball. Pour the Earl Grey tea on top. Garnish with lemon wedge.

2

BY ERDEM K AYAL AR, SOHO HOUSE LONDON

BY CAMILLE AUSTIN, SOHO HOUSE NEW YORK ROSE ALL DAY 45ml / 1.5oz Beefeater gin 25ml / 0.75oz lemon juice 15ml / 0.5oz simple syrup 60ml / 2oz dry rosé champagne 1 grapefruit zest Combine ice, gin, lemon juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and shake thoroughly.

Fine strain into a coupe glass. With a spiral bar spoon, layer the rosé champagne over the cocktail; garnish with a thin grapefruit zest.

28 HOUSE TONIC

THE BEACH #4 10ml / 0.3oz Bacardi Oakheart spiced rum 20ml / 0.75oz Bacardi Gold 20ml / 0.75oz Myer’s rum 10ml / 0. 3oz Cointreau 15ml / 0.5oz Velvet Falernum 3 healthy dashes Angostura bitters 2 dashes Pernod 30ml / 1oz freshly squeezed lime juice 20ml / 0.75oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice mint and berries to garnish Shake with ice, then strain over fresh crushed ice into a highball. Top with more ice, garnish with mint and berries

3

4

5

1. Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum 2. Beefeater gin 3. Myer’s rum 4. Cointreau 5. Angostura bitters

MUSIC

Citizens! singer Tom Burke, centre



WHAT I DRINK ON STAGE Tom Burke, lead singer, Citizens!

C

itizens! played at Shoreditch House in March. They are a five-piece band and their first album, Here We Are, was produced by Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand, who they are supporting on tour this year.

I get c alled Mariah Carey by the rest of the band because I always like to have room temperature water on stage with me. I really don’t like to drink cold water – it’s almost the worst thing you can do to your voice. You can’t drink spirits on stage if you’re singing either, as they dry you out.

The best thing to drink on stage is a good lager, I really enjoyed performing in Mexico recently because they had some excellent beers.

We were re ally meek with our rider in the beginning because we didn’t want to be idiots about it. We just asked for things like crisps and bananas. But now we’ve realised that we might as well ask for everything – so we often have some champagne when we come off stage. There’s a hierarchy obviously, an

order in which you drink things: champagne, rosé, red wine, then rum or vodka. Although if there’s anyone around who can make cocktails, they can be consumed in any order.

Lawrence [keyboards] is a good bartender actually, he can make a great Negroni or Old Fashioned.

Negronis are probably my favourite cock tail.

Drinking them makes me feel like I’m in Italy, sitting in an old square, and that I know everything about European culture. Which I don’t.

We all like Spanish wine, too. Mike [drums] is a good cook – he makes a tasty tagine. The producer of our album actually gave him a big tagine dish recently, which was nice. It’s very therapeutic when we’re at home, to be able to cook.

You know the MacGuf fin technique that Hitchcock used in cinema, where he’d draw your eye to one thing on screen, to allow something else to happen elsewhere? I think music does the

same thing when we go out to eat or drink – I think it distracts us from any awkwardness we might feel about being around other people, and enables us to be comfortable.

The song I most as sociate with a par ticular drink is Cigarettes and Alcohol by Oasis. I think of that song and I think of a pint of Carling, or some other cheap British lager, which can be a glorious thing on occasion.

When it comes to our songs , our single True Romance starts off in a kind ruminatingover-a-whisky way, but then it picks up so you might want to open a beer. But then for the last three or four minutes, it gets really exciting, and that makes me think of tequila.

The last time I had people over for drink s , I made vodka sours. I wanted to make pisco sours, but I couldn’t find any pisco. Still, they went down very well citizenscitizens.com HOUSE TONIC 29

RISING STARS



RISING STARS OF THE BARS

KAROLIS VALATKA Dean Street Townhouse Nominated by Ben Fitzgerald

Celebrating Soho House's best bar staff

STANISLAV SANDAJEVSKI Soho House London Nominated by Erdem Kayalar

Stan, AKA Tackleberry, is a “starback”. He started a couple of months ago and jumped straight into our number one bar. He is so passionate about bars, working hard and researching a lot. Very soon he will be one of the big boys of our bartender team. Good work, Stan!

EDUARDO DEL MORAL Pizza East Shoreditch Nominated by Rory Martin

Eduardo Del Moral is one of the finest bartenders I have ever had the pleasure of working with. He’s fast, friendly, committed, hard working and has a passion for learning. I predict great things for him in the future and will enjoy watching him grow professionally.

DOMINIKA WOZNIAK Electric House Nominated by Lauren Shaw

CONSALVO BOCCIA Hoxton Grill Nominated by Jamie Lehane

Consalvo has on of the best work ethics I have ever seen, good initiative, plus he's friendly and would give you the shirt off his back.

Nothing is ever too much trouble for him. One to watch.

ANDRES GONZALEZ Soho House New York Nominated by Camille Austin

Andres Gonzalez, better known to us at SHNY as Dre, is consistently pleasant to be around and his work ethic is fierce. He’s been with us in NY for little under a year now, juggles three jobs and a part-time dancing career, yet always manages to help out his Soho House family however he can. He recently represented NY in Art Basel Miami and will be competing in his first regional cocktail competition next month.

We’re very lucky to have him as part of our team – the sky is the limit for Dre!

JORDAN GIARDINO Soho House Toronto Nominated by Paul Cowlishaw Karolis joined the team as a barback but has since graduated to the bar and is really impressing everyone with his style, speed and proficiency. He’s an asset to the team.

Jordan was recently promoted from barback to bartender.

After an extensive three-month training programme, he has shown determination and skill. He’s incredibly enthusiastic, smart and willing to learn as much as he can and will no doubt continue to be an asset to the company in years to come.

CASEY SORENSON Shoreditch House Nominated by Myles Donneky

WINSTON CHIU Soho House Toronto Nominated by Paul Cowlishaw

Casey joined a year ago when he started at Shoreditch House as a bartender. Since then his discipline, love for the bar and care for his team has pushed him up the ranks to bar supervisor. His work ethic is unparalleled and he takes every challenge in his stride. Not only are his bar skills great but his management style has developed quickly into an awesome leader – I’m very proud! I can’t wait to visit a bar he manages in the near future. Well done, bro.

Winston is one of our veteran barbacks and has proved to be instrumental in the efficiency of dayto-day operations. He always takes the initiative, is proud of his position and continuously ensures the job gets done with minimal management.

When Winston is around, everything runs smoothly. He is incredibly trustworthy and we are lucky to have him.

ALEXANDER REINA Little House Mayfair Nominated by Jay Newell

JONATHON RODRIGUEZ Soho House West Hollywood Nominated by Juan Sevilla

Dominika Wozniak has been with Soho House for a few years now and has taken over running the Club bar as Bar Supervisor. She is smashing it!

Her commitment and energy has not only brought the bar back on track but has also fostered a strong team spirit. She can only take it to the next level... Thanks, Dom!

30 HOUSE TONIC

Jonathon has been with the company for two years and has proven himself a great team player. You can always rely on Jonathon to get the job done.

Whether we’re doing events or during regular service, I’d bartend with him by my side any day of the week.

STEFANO BURBELLO Pizza East Portobello Nominated by Damian Szyjduk

Alex joined LH as a kitchen porter and through his commitment to bettering himself went after a position as a barback. When I joined LH late last year I saw something in him and decided to promote him to a junior bartender. With his continued dedication and a little coaching, Alex has cemented himself as a key player in the Little House team and will continue to get better and better!

Since joining, Stefano has been a formidable addition to our bar team.

Quick and eager to learn, Stefano has shown great character and charm, consistently impressing our guests and his colleagues. As he continues to learn more about the trade and hone his bar skills, we look forward to seeing what the future holds for him.

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHELE ARDU

DO YOU WANT TO WORK BEHIND OUR BARS? With sites in London, Somerset, Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and Berlin, plus more on the way around the world, the Soho House Group is always on the lookout for exceptional staff. We offer high quality training, excellent support and you might even get the chance to work in venues overseas. We want to help you develop a great career in drinks.

If you'd like to join one of our bar teams in Europe or the United States then please get in touch by visiting www.housetonic.com or email housetonic@sohohouse.com. We'd love to hear from you!

You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

HOUSE TONIC 31

L’AMOUR MODERNE CREATED BY JOE McCANTA THIS BITTERSWEET MARTINI WITH NOTES OF RICH POMEGRANATE, PASSIONFRUIT AND PINK GRAPEFRUIT IS AVAILABLE IN EVERY HOUSE BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY. TO SEE HOW TO MAKE THIS COCKTAIL GO TO WWW.HOUSETONIC.COM

32 HOUSE TONIC

For the facts drinkaware.co.uk

©2014 GREY GOOSE, THE GREY GOOSE BOTTLE DESIGNS AND THE GEESE DEVICES ARE TRADEMARKS AND/OR REGISTERED TRADEMARKS.