HOUSE
TO N I C
Issue 1
SOHO HOUSE’S DRINK MAGA ZINE Cut Glass The Oscars Cocktail Safari Friendly Bartender Grapevine Ambassador Summit Bloody Mary East Ender -1-
Editor’s Letter
Contents Aperitifs Miami Nice & Canadian Cocktails 4 Rare Rum & Berlin Beauties 5
Welcome to the first House Tonic – a magazine for bartenders and people who love bars. All across the world – from our Houses in London, New York, Berlin, West Hollywood and Miami, our hotels in Dean Street and Hoxton, Café Boheme and BKB in Soho and Cecconi’s in Mayfair and Hollywood – we take drinks seriously, whether we’re creating them, making them or consuming them. Because whether it’s the first coffee of the day, the best cocktail of the party or the last whisky of the night, we know how important it is to get it right. This issue we travel to Miami for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival and receive a masterclass at the House Tonic Bar Ambassadors summit in London. We’re also meeting our brightest bartenders (p24 & 19), revealing their exclusive cocktail recipes and sharing our experts’ wine recommendations for the season.
At the Bar Your Friendly Bartender 6 House Tonic meets Creative Bar Director Chris Ojeda
Bloody Marvellous 8 A lowdown on the Bloody Mary cocktail
Feeling Fruity 9 Soho Beach House Miami Head Bartender Chris Hudnall takes a trip to Borough Market
A Fair Cup 10 How the coffee in your cup is ticking the Fairtrade boxes
All across the world, our bars are only as good as the people who work in them. So if you think you could offer us something, or you just want to know more about what we do, get in touch. We’re always looking to meet new people. Cheers!
The Grapevine 11 Helping the fans of Pinot Grigio get more from their wine choice
Cut Glass Accent 12 A glance at all the new glassware arriving at the Houses
My Other Job is… 18 Cecconi’s bartender Patrick L Mang talks about his life as a mortician
sohohouse.com/housetonic If you’re interested in a career in Soho House Group’s bars around the world then get in touch at housetonic@sohohouse.com
Summit Special 20 The House Tonic Ambassadors come together to create the House Tonic vision
East Ender 22 Shoreditch House Bars Manager Nathan Dixon-Jones reveals his East End take on cocktails
Movers & Shakers 24 Mashia Maxwell, the new face of mixing drinks at Soho House New York Editor: Tom Sandham Design and Art Direction: Plus Agency Sub Editor: Vanessa Harriss Photography My Other Job Is: Kevin Parry Thanks to: Dan Flower, Kat Hartigan, Chris Ojeda, Ben McFarland, Dylan Murray, Vincent Gasnier, Oli Juste, Chris Hudnall, Mashia Maxwell, Joseph Grznar, Tom Kerr, Michael Frohnwieser, Nathan Dixon-Jones, Joe McCanta, Richard Arnold, Damian Samuels, Paul L Mang, David Greig, Paul Devereux, Shannon Beattie, Ann Tunnerman, Annabel Caley at WIB, RnD Post Production, Tapestry, Ian at Next Model Management Front Cover Photography: Stephen Toner Stylist: Katy Lassen Hair: Michael Jones using Bumble and Bumble Make-up: Abigail Johnson using Bobbi Brown Model: Polly Brown at Next
Oscar Glory 26 Cocktails at the Academy Awards
Cocktail Shake Off 27 UK bartenders gather at Shoreditch House to recreate Bacardi rum drinks
Digestif One for the Road 28 Two members talk up cocktails and their favourite choices at the bar
Cocktail Safari 30 The House Tonic Ambassadors take a trip around London
APERITIFS
NEWS
Miami Nice
Rare Rum
uring Prohibition in the 1920s Miami acted as a portal to the cocktaildrenched parties of Cuba. But nowadays, the city has developed a serious culinary reputation that was shown off at the recent South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Guest sommeliers offered lessons in tasting wine and food-matching, as well as a potted history of the Antinori family’s 625 years and 26 generations of wine-making. Cocktail classes incorporated Miami’s history with bartender Zane Lamprey recreating the most popular drinks from the 1920s when absinthe gin and rye whiskey dominated the menu. There was also a class on cocktail skills and hardware, while Soho Beach House ran events alongside the festival, with visiting chefs including Marcela Valladolid appearing in the kitchen. Check www.2011.sobefest.com for more images from the Festival. sohohouse.com/housetonic
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Image: WorldRedEye.com
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hile rum is commonly associated with Cuba, Venezuela has been quietly producing some of the most exciting variations of the spirit at the Santa Teresa distillery, which recently released a limited-edition rum to Soho Beach House Miami. Called Bodega Privada, the rum was introduced to Head Bartender Chris Hudnall at a tasting. “Santa Teresa distributes three different rums – the 1796, Claro and Anejo – but the Bodega Privada is their most exclusive juice,” says Chris. “They actually don’t sell it to any other drinking establishment so I was lucky to try it. So far Santa Teresa’s master distiller has only given a barrel to 100 people around the world, including Madonna, Fidel Castro and relatives of Richard Nixon. It’s the most interesting and uniquetasting rum I’ve ever tried.” The Santa Teresa distillery owners also run Project Alcatraz in Aragua, a community initiative rehabilitating serious criminals by offering training, psychological assistance, employment and alternatives to life in a gang. More information is at www.fundacionsantateresa.org sohohouse.com/housetonic
Canadian Cocktails
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he Tales of the Cocktail festival originally established itself in New Orleans, the hometown of the Sazerac. But this year the event hit the road for the first time and headed north to Vancouver. Vancouver boasts one of Canada’s most varied bar scenes, and a large crowd duly turned out for Tales… which offered up a mix of events, masterclasses and seminars. Discussions covered everything from the rebirth of Canadian whisky and science to specialist techniques behind the bar. Amongst the highlights was a paternity test on the Mai Tai, with Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry encouraging a heated debate about who actually created this tiki rum cocktail (most believe it was Victor Jules Bergeron, at his restaurant Trader Vic’s in 1944.) The event also featured talks from Beefeater’s master distiller Desmond Payne, and lengthy tasting sessions at the bar. Tales… returns to New Orleans this summer, from July 20 to 24.
Berlin Beauties
DRINKS LIST MANHATTAN PERFECT 2½ SHOTS WOODFORD RESERVE ½ SHOT MARTINI ROSSO SWEET VERMOUTH ½ SHOT NOILLY PRAT DRY VERMOUTH 2 DASHES ANGOSTURA METHOD: STIR INGREDIENTS
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ashion and film fans got a taste of Berlin’s cocktail scene in the new year with the city’s fashion week in January and the Berlinale film festival the following month. “We were incredibly busy during the film festival and Fashion Week, and made sure the guests had some creative cocktails,” said Soho House Berlin’s Bar Manager Michael Frohnwieser. “Here in Berlin our members know their stuff and we try to tailor our recipes to fit requests, so our Moscow Mule is served with cucumber no lime, and the Mai Tai with lots of pineapple juice. The guests always gather on the roof terrace and here they enjoyed everything from Manhattans to Krug Rosé Champagne. The Manhattan Perfect was really popular – we used the Woodford Reserve because of the balance of spicy rye and honey sweetness.” Fashion week returns to Berlin from July 5.
OVER ICE, STRAIN INTO YOUR CHILLED COCKTAIL GLASS
www.fashion-week-berlin.com sohohouse.com/housetonic
GARNISH: ORANGE TWIST, DISCARDED AND A COCKTAIL CHERRY
www.talesofthecocktail.com sohohouse.com/housetonic
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AT THE BAR
PROFILE
Your Friendly
Bartender Whichever part of Soho House you’re drinking in around the world, Chris Ojeda has been involved in it. As Creative Bar Director he worries about everything from the ice to the glass you’re drinking from, so you don’t have to Words: Chris Ojeda Photography: Michael Bulbenko
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genuinely love mixing drinks, I’ll happily shake a cocktail anywhere. Probably the most interesting space I’ve been fortunate enough to do it was on a party bus for a friend’s birthday, flying down the freeway on the way to Los Angeles. We were heading to a nightclub and I was mixing cocktails from an icebox. Despite the unusual circumstances, the drinks were pretty good. I ended up in the job entirely by accident. I was looking to earn a bit of extra money and worked in a burger restaurant where we had a lot of tiki-style rum drinks. I was priding myself on my Long Island Ice Teas back then which isn’t so cool and, in truth, it’s not really what I’m into these days. But as I travelled around the world a bit, I became inspired by the bars I visited, particularly in New York. I started searching for similar joints in LA, and worked at Table 8 with a great bartender called Damian Windsor. I got gigs at some of the emerging
bars and, with all this added experience, finally started to look to get my own drinks programme going, which is when the Soho House Group got in touch. I want freshly squeezed juices, decent ice and great glassware. It’s one of the things I introduced to Soho House West Hollywood, and it was something that the members were really digging. When I headed out to the Toronto Film Festival, we had people there who recognised me from LA asking for the same drinks they’d had in Hollywood. So we started work on a bigger programme and that became House Tonic. Our mission is to get a consistency that spans all the venues in the Group so that members see familiar faces on the menu in LA, Miami, Berlin and London. It’s about establishing quality across the board and giving the bartender the confidence to make great drinks. My approach to drinks is to keep things simple: three spirits, -6-
maybe some bitters and fresh citrus flavours in there. If you can take something like a Bees Knees (gin, lemon and honey), and really impress a customer then you know you’re doing your job right. From a bar perspective, it’s an exciting time at Soho House and there are a lot of well-crafted cocktails to come. It’s a great life and sometimes I take a step back and I can’t believe I get to do this job. I think I’ll be mixing until I die, and when I go I expect Guantanamera to be playing on the jukebox and everyone to be drinking Daiquiris. If I could drink with anyone from history it’d be Jim Morrison, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Hemingway. They’d probably drink me under the table, but I’d give it a go.
To find out how you could work behind our bars email: housetonic@sohohouse.com
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AT THE BAR
HOUSE FEATURES
Bloody Marvellous
Feeling Fruity
The Bloody Mary is one of the hardest drinks to get right. Our expert ba rtenders explain where it came from, and what makes a good one so perfect
South London’s Borough Market may not catch rays like South Beach but it still furnished Chris Hudnall, Head Bartender at Soho Beach House Miami, with the freshest cocktail ingredients
Words: Tom Sandham Photography: Dai Williams
Words: Chris Hudnall Photography: Jonathan Arundel
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he tomato is bursting with antioxidants, which might be why drinkers bet on a Bloody Mary to rejuvenate themselves and why it’s such a brunch staple. The drink hails from bartender Fernand Petiot who worked at Harry’s New York Bar, Paris. A guest asked for a tomato juice and sent it back, asking for a bit more flavour, so Petiot began adding the key ingredients that now make the cocktail. The vitamin-rich tomato juice is mixed with Worcestershire sauce; with the spiciness dictated by the quantities of Tabasco sauce. In Miami, guests are treated to a Bloody Mary trolley, with bartenders wheeling the ingredients of the drink to the table. For West Londoners meanwhile, a brunch at the Electric Brasserie pairs the tomato tonic with a restorative bacon sandwich. As Matthew Parry, Bartender, Soho House London says: “The Bloody Mary is obviously a classic choice for anyone who had a bit too much the night before, but our spicy House mix on its own works for me every time. The trick is to make it insanely spicy and use fresh ingredients.” While a traditionalist will only use Tabasco, Worcestershire, lemon juice and salt to spice things up, some of the more forward-thinking recipes add savory infusions to
the vodka such as pumpkin seeds or horseradish, while a clear version uses clarified tomato juice. The finishing touch to the drink, regardless of other ingredients,
In Miami, guests are treated to a Bloody Mary trolley, with bartenders wheeling the ingredients of the drink to the table.
is the celery stick; apparently the vegetable garnish dates back to the 60s when a bartender at the Ambassador Hotel in Chicago noticed a lady stirring her drink with it in the absence of a stirrer. sohohouse.com/housetonic
DRINKS LIST BLOODY MARY 60ml VODKA 120ml SACRAMENTO TOMATO JUICE (BRAND SPECIFIC) JUICE OF ½ FRESH LEMON 3-4 DASHES TABASCO TO TASTE 2 GOOD DASHES OF WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
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’ve seen some pretty rotten fruit in my time. I worked at a couple of nightclubs where they only changed the fruit twice a month. Even for a nightclub that’s embarrassing, so it was a relief to see what was on offer at Borough Market. With a history dating back the 1860s, I was amazed at the freshness and variety of the produce and astonished at how affordable it all was. The sexiest bit of fruit I saw was the dragon fruit, although my favourite would have to be lemongrass. When you crack open the stock of lemongrass, it gives off a very sweet, citrusy essence. When I’m devising my drinks menu, I think from a visual and seasonal perspective to ensure ingredients are fresh and to keep
the cocktail list interesting. I went to a raw market in Miami recently and the flavour from the ingredients was noticeably superior to the produce that you would normally get at a local grocery store. If you make a cocktail with fresh fruit and ingredients from a market like Borough, and compare it to one with ingredients from a local grocery store you’ll taste the difference right away. And it’s healthier for you and the environment as well. Is English fruit tastier than Miami’s? A lot of it has to do with the weather, how far it’s travelling and who’s farming it, so both are great but I’d definitely say the guys with access to Borough Market are lucky. We have better coconuts though. sohohouse.com/housetonic
SALT AND PEPPER
DRINKS LIST
LONDON CALLING 60ml BUFFALO TRACE WHISKEY 20ml DATE SYRUP 20ml LEMON JUICE 30ml APPLE CIDER 1 EGG WHITE METHOD: COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN YOUR MIXING VESSEL. WHIP, SHAKE AND STRAIN GARNISH: LEMON ZEST AND LEMONGRASS
HONEYCOMB CAIPIRINHA 60ml HONEYCOMB-INFUSED
3 DASHES OF BITTER TRUTH
CACHAÇA
CELERY BITTERS
4-5 LIME WEDGES
FRESH GRATED HORSERADISH
20ml RUNNY HONEY
ROOT TO TASTE METHOD: MUDDLE, SHAKE AND
METHOD: ROLL ALL INGREDIENTS
POUR ALL INGREDIENTS INTO
TOGETHER AND SERVE IN YOUR
YOUR ROCKS GLASS
CUT CRYSTAL COLLINS GLASS
GARNISH: CUT HONEYCOMB
GARNISH: THIN CELERY STICK, LEMON WEDGE, 2 OLIVES
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AT THE BAR
HOUSE FEATURE
A Fair Cup
The Grapevine
Great coffee is as important as wine and cocktails. And customers are looking for the Fairtrade sign when they order…
Selecting the right wine is not just about price, says Soho House’s Group Sommelier, particularly for those who enjoy a decent Pinot Grigio
sohohouse.com/housetonic housetonic@sohohouse.com -10-
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partnership with Darlington’s Coffee ensures that you’re getting a unique blend at Soho House. Having worked together since the club first launched, we’ve crafted the unique Soho House Bourbon Espresso blend. The coffee is completely Fairtrade, which matters to us because we see it as a reflection of what our members care about. Not only that, but quality is much more important to us than price – we’re always happy to pay that bit more to get the right cup of coffee. Darlington’s have a ‘community coffees’ programme that has built a network of sustainable coffee producers in Brazil, El Salvador, Zambia, Costa Rica, Colombia and Guatemala, and they can offer us estate coffees from farms or co-operatives they’ve audited and so they have a full picture of the economic and social conditions at origin. We take the same approach with everything we source; in the restaurants we’ve cut out tuna and foie gras, and are reducing cod. Making sure the coffee has this sustainable background is as important to us as the cocktails and the food. It’s all part of making sure the coffee we make – and our members’ experience – is the best possible.
hat’s great about my selection process is that I can find interesting wines and price them at a point that’s right for both the venue and the customer. Wine doesn’t have to be expensive to be good, because these days more producers have excellent techniques. The Pinot Grigio is a useful example, and there are many varieties that are similar but equally enjoyable. The grape is originally from the Alsace region but is now Italy’s best-selling wine. At High Road House in Chiswick we have a Picpoul de Pinet; it’s similarly light and refreshing but also a beautifully complex wine that you might overlook if you go for the Pinot Grigio. If people are experimenting over the summer, I would encourage them to look at German wines. The range goes way beyond Rieslings and Germany makes some excellent food wines. Also, the Pinot Gris, Ziegler is one from the Hoxton Grill I’d highly recommend – it’s similar to a Grigio, but more full-bodied. And if you want to know more, we run a regular Wine Club for members and extra training with bar staff as well. If you’re behind the bar and you’d like to learn more, then talk to your general manager about the Wine Academy. sohohouse.com/housetonic
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AT THE BAR
GLASSWARE
Cut Glass
Accent
When it comes to seeking out the perfect cocktail encounter, start with the glass you have in your hand Words: Tom Sandham Photography: Stephen Toner
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AT THE BAR
GLASSWARE
CRYSTAL CLEAR CUT GLASS
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he importance of glassware is frequently overlooked in bars, which is strange, given that you see it before you’ve even ordered and feel it before you get to taste your drink. From tide-marked pint glasses to ugly plastic tumblers, there are numerous ways to form a bad first impression. With this in mind, Creative Bar Director Chris Ojeda has spearheaded a major overhaul of the glassware at the Soho House Group. “We want people to experience the same level of quality that they’d offer someone coming to their house as a guest, and this has to be reflected in everything we do, including glassware,” says Chris. It’s
also about having glasses that aren’t a hindrance. “We want members to enjoy holding them and we want bartenders to be able to work with them. If you take the time to create a drink that looks and tastes great, then the glassware it arrives in affects much of the presentation.” The new glassware will feature across the entire Group. It will introduce cut glass pieces to the bars and all the unique pieces will be made to a bespoke design process. As Ojeda explains, cut glass is currently the ultimate choice for the connoisseur, the shapes and prisms enhancing the rich colour of dark spirit drinks and adding a sparkle to the simplest gin and tonic. -14-
Cut glass is currently re-emerging as the ultimate choice for the connoisseur… -15-
AT THE BAR
Wine glasses are also enjoying a facelift, and the new sleek designs are more comfortable in the hand and specifically shaped to contain the drink’s aromas and transport them easily into your nose as you drink. Elsewhere, Marie Antoinettestyle coupes will be the new receptacles for champagne, as well as some specially crafted cocktails. Chris adds: “It was also important that we had glasses that would reflect the style of a drink. Something like an Old Fashioned is a serious, stirred drink; people expect it to arrive in something that replicates this. It can make
…the shapes and prisms enhancing the rich colour of dark spirit drinks and adding a sparkle to the simplest gin and tonic
GLASSWARE
or break the cocktail.” Chris also considered the classic Martini glass. “If a Martini glass is too large then the drink will start to warm while you’re working on it. The key to this style of drink is to keep it chilled. This is also important if you have a drink with ice in it. We don’t want to be serving drinks that dilute quickly. The same can be said of a glass of white wine or champagne; both need to sustain the correct temperature if they’re to be enjoyed.” The new cut glass range will be rolled out across all the Houses this season.
Stylist: Katy Lassen Hair: Michael Jones Make-up: Abigail Johnson Model: Polly Brown at Next
sohohouse.com/housetonic -16-
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AT THE BAR
TONIC FEATURE
My Other Job Is…
Patrick L Mang loves life behind the bar at Cecconi’s but while he’s not serving drinks, he’s equally happy dealing with the dead Words: Patrick L Mang Illustration: Joel Lardner
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’ve been bartending for roughly 17 years and I love the social interaction of the bar, but at the same time I’ve been studying to be a mortician. I’m in the middle of my lab practical requirements, and after I complete my embalming apprenticeship, I hope to open my own funeral home. I’m interested in what is known as “green” services where earth-friendly preservatives and casketing materials are used. When I told my girlfriend she was pretty shocked, but I’ve been interested in it from a young age; the family of a good friend of mine owned a small funeral home. After school we ran errands for them: washing the procession vehicles, picking up death certificates. One evening we snuck into the basement where I witnessed my first embalming, so it was always in the back of my mind. I guess those teen experiences gave me the inspiration I needed. The moment you die, your tissue and organs become a buffet for bacteria. Those little guys start breaking down our bodies and release gaseous scents. But most of the bodies I have worked with have been refrigerated or died recently, so the smell factor hasn’t affected me. Also, most preparation facilities have amazing ventilation, which helps. Rigor mortis usually appears from eight to 20 hours after death and lasts 10 to 72 hours. With rigor mortis you have two options with embalming – either you wait for
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it to pass or you can massage the rigored limb to break the stiffening. When you’re working on something like rigor mortis, some people like to listen to music. I haven’t been in a situation where I can choose my own yet, but when I can I think a little Massive Attack will do. Most of the deaths I have dealt with are run of the mill, but I’ve learned about the sky burial ritual from a friend who travelled to Tibet. The flesh is removed and mixed with the bone after it has been ground. The mixture is laid out and eventually carried away by vultures. One suggestion why they do this is that the ground in Tibet is extremely rocky, which makes burial difficult. Others say it is a way for the deceased to provide food to sustain living beings.
I’ll be drinking, I’m a straight tequila guy, no lime no salt. Gran Centenario Anejo is like a fine cognac or whisky. And the Cazadores Reposado is also worth a try. A reposado is rested in wooden barrels or storage tanks for between two and 11 months so the golden colour comes from the barrels. With the Cazadores you get loads of cinnamon, lemon peel, figs and a bit of eucalyptus and spice. Both would be great to sip. Either that or give me a Tommy’s Margarita.
I see death as a phase of life and it’s kind of funny to me that it’s still considered a taboo subject. Yes, it’s something we fear and causes us to mourn, but it can be something to celebrate. Chances are that you made an impact on someone’s life. That’s reason enough to celebrate a life that has expired. And it’s something we’ve always had to deal with, of course – a mortician is never going to be out of work! When it comes to my own death, I’d like to be cremated and have a cocktail reception as a memorial. Anyone seen Soylent Green (Charlton Heston, 1973)? Maybe my remains could be made into a garnish for the cocktails. In terms of what
TOMMY’S MARGARITA
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If you’re interested in a career in bartending, email: housetonic@sohohouse.com
DRINKS LIST
CREATED BY JULIO BERMEJO OWNER OF LEGENDARY TEQUILA BAR TOMMY’S IN SAN FRANCISCO 50ml CAZADORES 20ml AGAVE NECTAR 25ml LIME JUICE METHOD: SALT HALF A ROCKS GLASS RIM AND ADD ICE. ADD ALL INGREDIENTS TO YOUR BOSTON GLASS OVER ICE AND SHAKE HARD. SERVE OVER CUBED ICE
AT THE BAR
GREY GOOSE
Summit Special Crafting cocktails and sharing ideas was the order of the day when the global House Tonic Ambassadors met in London for their summit Words: Tom Sandham Photography: Dai Williams
Vodka is one of the most popular spirits in the world right now, so the sampling exercise inspired plenty of views – and as the team looked to make some cocktails, Grey Goose proved the perfect product with which to experiment
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anagers flew in from the US Houses to join their UK counterparts in launching House Tonic. On the agenda was the current cocktail regime and devising new ways to guarantee their quality across the Group. Along the way there were seminars and invaluable training sessions with Grey Goose that incorporated a fascinating day of tasting and cocktail experimentation. The week also saw reconnaissance trips out to local bars, sampling and cocktail sessions, all yielding feedback on menus and drinks that will be enjoyed by members and bartenders at all the Houses over the coming months. The House Tonic Ambassadors have standardised their classic cocktails across the world, so that whichever House you walk into, your Mojito will be equally enjoyable. In amongst the brainstorming, the Grey Goose team offered their training with a comparative vodka tasting and a cocktail workshop. Led by UK brand representative Joe
McCanta, the training covered the complex and exclusive production process of Grey Goose, talking through the natural ingredients from France: the soft winter wheat, the natural spring water drawn from a source in the Grande Champagne region of Cognac, and the five-step distillation process, overseen by the original creator of Grey Goose, François Thibault. Vodka is one of the most popular spirits in the world right now, so the sampling exercise inspired plenty of views – and as the team looked to make some cocktails, Grey Goose proved the perfect product with which to experiment. After all the training, discussions and decisions over how to take drinks forward, the Ambassadors got down to what they do best, creating an assortment of new and great-tasting cocktails, two of which you can try for yourselves (see panel, right). Like what you see and want to work with us? email: housetonic@sohohouse.com
DRINKS LIST NATHAN DIXON-JONES BARS MANAGER SHOREDITCH HOUSE THE HOUSE TONIC NO.1 15ml CINNAMON SYRUP 15ml LEMON JUICE 7-8 MUDDLED RASPBERRIES 50ml GREY GOOSE LA POIRE 15ml FRESH PEAR JUICE METHOD: SHAKE OVER CUBED ICE, POUR AND TOP WITH CRUSHED ICE GARNISH: RASPBERRY
CHRIS HUDNALL HEAD BARTENDER SOHO BEACH HOUSE COLLINS AVE 45ml GREY GOOSE L’ORANGE 15ml FRESHLY SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE 7ml SORREL AND GINGER CONCENTRATE 7ml GINGER SYRUP 3 DASHES OF ALL SPICE 30ml FRESH PINEAPPLE JUICE 6 MINT LEAVES METHOD: POUR ALL INGREDIENTS INTO YOUR COLLINS GLASS, CLAP MINT AND SWIZZLE FOR 10 SECONDS. CAP WITH CRUSHED ICE GARNISH: ORANGE ZEST AND LEMONGRASS
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AT THE BAR
EAST END
East
Ender The Kray twins were off the scene long before Shoreditch House opened, but that hasn’t stopped Nathan Dixon-Jones dedicating a drink to them as part of a historic new East London menu Words: Tom Sandham Photography: Dai Williams
THE DIANA DORS COCKTAIL
PHOTOGRAPH: KRAYS GETTY IMAGES
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he bar at Shoreditch House affords a view stretching across East London. Steeped in centuries of history and no small amount of notoriety, it’s an area that provides me with plenty of inspiration. It was the 18th century engine room of the British empire; it’s where opium came in from overseas; it was home to the silk trade and suffragette movement; and it was a hunting ground for nobility in the 13th century and again for criminal gangs in the 1960s. Since the Luftwaffe levelled it during World War II, the area has undergone enormous change, and recently it has become a hub of creativity. I wanted to create a drinks list for Shoreditch House that not only celebrated the area’s history but also delivered some killer drinks. Starting with the House Favourites, The London Fields blends Bombay Sapphire with Mandarin Napoleon, mint and mandarin, while the Hackney High Ball uses Zubrowka Bison Grass vodka as the base. From the Long Drink list, the Bow Bells is a vodka-driven drink infused with Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps in
tribute to Dick Whittington’s goldbased delusions. Keeping things cultural, we salute Carry On films in the shape of Shoreditch’s very own Barbara Windsor, and a gin drink of the same name with Limoncello and grapefruit. In our Fizz Section, we raise a Champagne flute to the nearby Brick Lane and its vibrant Bangladeshi community with the Ruby Murray, a fusion of Grand Marnier and Raoul Collet Brut Champagne. The Short Drink section, pays homage to several famous East End figures. There’s a drink for two based on the darker spirits that consists of a Reggie and a Ronnie as a nod to two of the east end’s less salubrious sons. And I also designed a drink that we’ve named the Diana Dors after the English actress who fraternised with them. It’s great to have the freedom to design a menu like this and it allowed me, as a bartender, to be creative. I’d recommend other bartenders give it a go. All you have to do is a bit of reading and research, experiment a little with flavours and, well, the rest is easy. sohohouse.com/housetonic
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DRINKS LIST SOMETHING SERIOUS THE GOVERNOR 1 PART PATRON XO 1 PART REMY MARTIN VSOP
½ PART VANILLA LIQUEUR ½ SUGAR CUBE METHOD: BUILD AS OLD FASHIONED ON CUBED ICE AND SERVE ON THE ROCKS GARNISH: VANILLA POD CASE
A FEMININE TOUCH DIANA DORS 1 PART 42 BELOW VODKA 20ml VANILLA SYRUP 40ml LYCHEE JUICE 15ml LIME JUICE METHOD: SHAKE, AND STRAIN ON ICE IN YOUR OLD FASHIONED GLASS GARNISH: CUCUMBER SWIRL
AT THE BAR
Mashia Maxwell recently moved from Soho House West Hollywood to manage the bar in Soho House New York and she serves a mean Manhattan
INTERVIEW
Movers & Shakers Words: Tom Sandham Photography: Dai Williams
Name: Mashia Maxwell Site: Soho House NY Start date: Feb 2011 Position: Bar Manager Age: 35 Sex: Female Place of birth: San Francisco, CA
Other than bartending, I went to school to pursue a career in music, with a major interest in jazz. I recorded two albums and one of my songs was picked to be in a Canadian movie called Love, Sex and Eating Bones. My break never came and I spent my time as a starving artist… Previous to this I had worked as a head bartender at Sky Bar in West Hollywood for seven years and was craving progress when my good friend told me about an opening at Soho House. It reminded me what hospitality should be: a warm, family atmosphere in amongst the buzz. From West Hollywood another leap presented itself: a managerial position in New York. That’s where I am now. My inspiration comes from the people who surround me every day, from my staff to the members. The main difference between NY and LA would have to be the fact that New Yorkers are open to new experiences and are not afraid to give you real feedback; if they love something, they will support you, but if they’re not so keen, you will certainly hear about it! This inspires me.
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Every morning I wake up, put on a pot of coffee and begin to clean my house before I leave for work, actually before I do just about anything! It helps me carry on about my day. While I’m cleaning my house I always listen to Joni Mitchell. I really love music; it allows me to exist in my own head. I am a free spirit who loves being around similar people. My most interesting tattoo would have to be ‘William Maxwell’ which is on my forearm. The tattoos keep my dad’s spirit around me and give me strength when I need it. My 18-year-old self would be proud, but also surprised to see what I’m doing now. I think I expected to be travelling around with bands, not so settled. I wouldn’t change a thing though, no regrets. I would keep everything the same. All the mistakes and good fortune make me who I am. Be positive about the cards you were dealt. We’re always looking for passionate people to join our teams. Get in touch at housetonic@sohohouse.com
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DIGESTIFS
MIXOLOGY
Oscar Glory
Cocktail Shake Off
Hollywood’s highlight of the film calendar was celebrated with a collection of creative cocktails
Bacardi challenged London’s most inventive mixologists to design a cocktail that honoured the rum’s rich history
Words: Tom Sandham
Words: Tom Sandham Photography: Zoe Maxwell
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DRINKS LIST CHARLIE CHAPLIN 1½ SHOTS SLOE GIN, 1½ SHOTS APRICOT BRANDY 1 SHOT FRESH LEMON METHOD: SHAKE INGREDIENTS ON ICE, STRAIN INTO YOUR ICE-FILLED TUMBLER GARNISH: LEMON ZEST TWIST
GARRICK’S CLUB PUNCH 45ml LONDON DRY GIN
de Deux, a fittingly elegant drink featuring an edible floating swan-like orchard. All of which proved a far more civilised accompaniment to a film than the usual multiplex junk – we’ll take the faint chink of ice cubes over the rustling of a popcorn box any day. sohohouse.com/housetonic -26-
15ml RICH SIMPLE SYRUP 15ml LEMON JUICE 15ml MARASCHINO LIQUEUR CHAMPAGNE TO TOP METHOD: MUDDLE THE PEEL OF THE LEMON AND ADD REST OF INGREDIENTS, SHAKE AND STRAIN. TOP WITH CHAMPAGNE
Photograph: FPG Getty Images
ocktails were a priority when Soho House West Hollywood hosted its Oscar parties; after all, whether it’s Marilyn Monroe mixing Whisky Sours in The Seven Year Itch or Humphrey Bogart fixing Ingrid Bergman a Champagne Cocktail in Casablanca, classic films and classic cocktails go hand in hand. Throughout the week, the drinks on offer ranged from the bespoke to the vintage, with Grey Goose serving up innovative creations to accompany and compliment the nominated films. Soho House Creative Bar Director Chris Ojeda was on hand to help with the menu selection, encouraging guests to take on drinks like the Moscow Mule made with homemade ginger syrup and soda water, and the Garrick’s Club Punch, which includes gin, lemons and maraschino. Top of the list was Speechless, Grey Goose’s take on a classic Martini, followed by the Pas
ince the first drop was distilled in Cuba nearly 150 years ago, Bacardi rum has enjoyed a close and creative kinship with the cocktail. Its inspiring liquid legacy can be explored in the Mojito, the Cuba Libre and, arguably the most iconic of all rum cocktails, the original Daiquiri. And so, with the substantial weight of more than a century of classic cocktail creation on their shoulders, 20 of Soho House’s best bartenders converged on Shoreditch House to do battle and craft a new chapter in Bacardi’s history. The bartenders’ creations were judged by a tasting panel including Adolfo Comas, a member of the Bacardi family; the Bacardi Training Team’s Shervene Shahbazkhani; House Tonic editor Tom Sandham; and Soho House’s Food & Beverage Director Dylan Murray. Contestants started with a Daiquiri before mixing
DRINKS LIST THE MAGIC MUSHROOM 1 CUBE WHITE SUGAR 3 DASHES ORANGE BITTERS 10ML GOMME 50ML BACARDI 10ML APRICOT BRANDY 50ML FRESH APPLE JUICE 20ML FRESH LEMON JUICE A PINCH OF DRY MUSHROOMS METHOD: SHAKE AND DOUBLE STRAIN INTO YOUR MARTINI GLASS GARNISH: WITH THIN SLICE OF DRY MUSHROOM
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their bespoke creations, each one steeped in both cocktail history and innovative and unusual ingredients. The mixologists melded the rum with an array of herbs, spices, roots and fruits, many of which were picked fresh from the kitchen garden of Babington House. The eventual winner was Alessandro Meneghini of the Shoreditch House Square Bar, whose fungi-infused Magic Mushroom blended Bacardi, apricot brandy, fresh apple puree, fresh lemon juice and a pinch of dried mushrooms. Alessandro’s prize was a trip to Sitges in Spain, the birthplace of Don Facundo Bacardí Massó, while runners-up received shakers and limited-edition bottles of Bacardi. “The level was excellent”, said Murray. “We look forward to doing more competitions that can inspire great cocktails here.” sohohouse.com/housetonic
DIGESTIFS
MEMBERS INTERVIEW
One For
The Road Two members make their way to the bar for last orders and give House Tonic a view on the drinks that tick their boxes Words: Tom Sandham Photography: Dai Williams
DAMIAN AND RICHARD CHILLING OUT BY THE POOL
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s a regular on morning television sofas, journalist and broadcaster Richard Arnold is well known as one of our best TV and film critics; while his friend, actor and director Damian Samuels, has previously starred in everything from Dr Who to The League of Gentlemen and is currently turning heads with his new short film. When House Tonic catches up with them they are reclining by the pool on top of Shoreditch House (they’re near-neighbours to the club), Lychee & Roses in hand, having just returned from Soho House West Hollywood. “It’s everything you’d expect over there,” says Richard of LA. “Mia Mastroianni is a fantastic bartender and made our drinks with the theatrical bombast you see on Broadway.” The trip’s key drink was the Espresso Martini. “It’s a great jet-lag cure,” explains Damian. “It’ll really
wake you up. And we obviously loved the Margaritas out there…” Both are happy to explore the menu when drinking and rarely restrict themselves to a single drink. “I love a Negroni,” says Richard of the classic cocktail made with gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. “The Italians invented vermouth as an aid to digestion, so I was happy to hear it’s good for me. I love a vodka Martini, make mine dirty. Then there’s a good old G&T, served with a Queen Mother’s measure though. And tequila is the Lord’s own liquor.” He also sees this as a great time for bars and drinkers who know their stuff. “Sex and the City had a lot to answer for when it comes to some of the drinks you see. I much prefer the new Mad Men approach to cocktails.” The Old Fashioned, a strong and stirred bourbon drink, is perfect for Don Draper et al, and one Damian also appreciates: “It’s a great drink, but one to order when you’re not in a rush; to make it -28-
properly the barman needs a bit of time on that one.” There’s time for one more before Richard heads off to his next TV gig and Damian prepares for the release of his short film Fish! “If I’m taking one for the road then I love the Espresso Martinis but I’ll always enjoy a Bloody Mary,” says Damian. “They’re particularly good at Shoreditch House, and we’re big fans of the Sunday brunch here.” And for Richard? “I do a radio show on LBC on Saturday and Sunday afternoons as well so we’ll occasionally come in for a bit of a nightcap in the evening. What I love is that I can pop in at any time - it’s always better to be here rather than festering in front of daytime TV. As for last orders today, make mine another Lychee & Rose Martini.”
DRINKS LIST NEGRONI 1 PART LONDON DRY GIN 1 PART CAMPARI 1 PART SWEET VERMOUTH METHOD: BUILD IN YOUR OLD FASHIONED GLASS OVER ROCKS GARNISH: FLAMED ORANGE PEEL
ESPRESSO MARTINI 2 SHOTS VODKA 1 SHOT COFFEE LIQUEUR 1 SHOT FRESHLY BREWED ESPRESSO METHOD: SHAKE ON ICE, DOUBLE STRAIN INTO YOUR MARTINI GLASS
www.fish-film.com GARNISH: THREE FLOATING
sohohouse.com/housetonic
COFFEE BEANS LYCHEE AND ROSE MARTINI PHOTOGRAPHY: ARTHUR WOODCROFT
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DIGESTIFS
WANT TO WORK BEHIND OUR BARS?
Cocktail
Safari When the House Tonic Bar Ambassadors rolled into London they made sure they hit the best cocktail bars and sampled some of the local liquor Words: Tom Sandham
Shannon enjoyed the Pickle Me Ginger in The Academy in Soho, an interesting take on a Zubrowka Vodka cocktail. For Tom Kerr, Bar Manager at Café Boheme, “the bar set-up in Montgomery in Notting Hill was awesome, and the way the bartenders interacted was a -30-
reminder that people come to the bar for a bit of theatre as well.” Nathan Dixon-Jones, Bars Manager at Shoreditch House who has himself put together a creative menu, kept an eye out for inspiration with names. “I had to order a Pornstar Martini, it wasn’t the best drink I had but it’s an example of how the name of a drink can attract someone’s attention.” Other observations took in glassware and all agreed that customers care about the vessels in which a drink is served, with several otherwise good cocktails being spoiled by arriving in an average Collins glass. Perhaps the strangest lesson of the night was given to Paul Devereux, who “found myself at the bar at a Travelodge offering the receptionist a barback job. The guy told that when you mix spirits together it becomes a poison. Which certainly puts a different spin on what we do…” sohohouse.com/housetonic
From Babington House in Somerset to Soho House Berlin and Cecconi’s Miami, the Soho House Group has some great spaces around the world and offers mixologists and bartenders an array of opportunities as part of a devoted drinks programme.
ILLUSTRATION: SHUTTER STOCK
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s part of the House Tonic summit, the House Ambassadors had been given a simple brief: hit as many bars as you can in one evening and then report back your findings. At the following morning’s debrief, Nightjar emerged as a favourite for those who stayed north and east. The new speakeasy in Islington impressed with its aged Pina Colada, a mix of rums, “secret ingredients”, and fresh coconut milk and pineapple juice, all aged in Limousine oak. Shannon Beattie, Beverage Director at Cecconi’s in LA, particularly enjoyed the Quo Vadis A-Z menu concept, with a drink for every letter. Paul Devereux, Manager at the Dean Street Townhouse, also liked what he saw. “I had to try a drink on there called the XYZ, simply to see if they could make a drink with this name as interesting to taste. But actually one of the best experiences was in a pub called the 10 Bells (in Spitalfields). It was all about the atmosphere, which is as important as a menu or quality drinks.” Elsewhere,
If you want to work for a company that provides you with all the training and support you need to develop a genuinely dynamic career in drinks, not to mention the chance of working abroad in the US and Europe, then please get in touch. To find out more, simply email housetonic@sohohouse.com sohohouse.com/housetonic PHOTOGRAPHY: ARTHUR WOODCROFT
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