HOUSE
TO N I C Welcome to Summer
SOHO HOUSE’S DRINK MAGA ZINE Issue 10
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Welcome to the Jug Bar, page 16 2 HOUSE TONIC
HOUSE TONIC
Editor’s Letter W
elcome to the tenth issue of House Tonic – a magazine for bartenders and people who love bars.
This issue we’re all about batching and blending cocktails, because great cocktails can be on tap, in a jug, or blitzed to perfection. Learn about Shoreditch House’s drinks on tap and get the lowdown on blending from two international booze gurus (p8). If you want to learn how to taste wine then check out Christopher Cooper’s tips (p20) and for some indepth grape knowledge read Jaimee Anderson’s piece on why Riesling is under-rated. We’ve also got results from the latest cocktail competitions around the group, a round-up of our top bartender’s favourite vermouths and all the news from Soho House’s bars.
Cheers!
House Tonic covers: Soho Houses New York, Toronto, London, Berlin, West Hollywood and Miami, Shoreditch House, Cafe Boheme, Soho Diner, The Electric House and Diner, High Road House, Pizza Easts Portobello, Kentish Town and Shoreditch, Hoxton Grill, Little House Mayfair, Dean Street Townhouse, Babington House, Cecconi’s restaurants in LA, London and Miami, Chicken Shop and Dirty Burger. Editor: Rebecca Seal Design and Art Direction: Plus Agency Publisher: Dan Flower Thanks to: Gareth Jones, Caroline Boucher, Phoebe Strawson, Julia Taylor-Brown, Chris Ojeda, Martin Kuczmarski, Dylan Murray, Oli Juste, Tom Kerr, Michael Frohnwieser, Richard Arnold, Damian Samuels, Chris Tomsett, David Greig, Shannon Beattie, Ann Tunnerman, Jay Newell, Lilaj Battista, Jacki Spillane, Hayley Rinehart, Sam Kershaw, Dai Williams, Steven Joyce, Marcin Liwarski, Jolina Hoang, Sarah Simon, Jamie Bevan and Sophie Roche-Garland
Cover image, Tom Kerr at the Jugs Bar on Shoreditch House’s roof. Cover photo and facing page by Steven Joyce
housetonic@sohohouse.com
4 Aperitifs Booze news 8 Aperitifs Cocktail competitions 10 At The Bar Your friendly bartender, Jay Newell 12 At The Bar Anatomy of an ingredient: peaches
If you'd like to join one of our bar teams around the world, email housetonic@sohohouse.com.
www.housetonic.com
Contents
twitter.com/HouseTonic
14 At The Bar What’s your favourite vermouth? 15 At The Bar LA and Miami’s bar shows 16 At The Bar Fast and Fabulous 20 At The Bar How to taste wine; Riesling in focus 24 At The Bar Beer v Wine v Cocktails 26 At The Bar Behind the scenes at a Grey Goose film 28 Digestif Shorts 30 Digestif Rising Stars
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APERITIFS
Movers and Shakers Congrats to everyone who has moved up and around Soho House, especially Tom Kerr, who is now group bar manager for the UK and Europe – he’ll be supporting all the bar teams and visiting Berlin once a month. Also Lucy Francomb who has moved from restaurant manager to bars manager at Babington House, replacing Sam Kershaw who has moved from bars manager at Babington House to Electric House. Francesco Erriu has joined Soho House from the The American Bar at the Savoy, to become Bars Manager of Shoreditch House. He’ll be supported by Myles Donneky and Daniel Susko who have both been newly appointed as Assistant Bars Managers. Finally, well done to Marco Pettorossi, who has stepped up from the number two position to become Bars Manager of High Road House.
Sharp and Dapper Bartenders, are you forever frustrated that your shirt untucks whenever you reach for a lesser-used bottle, high on the back bar? Well, fret no more, as Sharp and Dapper have launched a brilliant – if slightly unsexy – solution: clever “stays” which clip on to the top of your socks and the bottom of your shirt, meaning you’ll never come untucked again. Brilliant. www.sharpanddapper.com
Broken Shaker
Budvar This was a winner of trip (writes Nick Antonopoulos from Café Boheme). We met at Heathrow early Wednesday morning to be greeted by Joe and Andy, the Budvar reps at – would you believe it – a pub...They were true legends, always up for a laugh and never afraid of a morning brew. We arrived in Prague all eager to experience the combination of sun and beer, a duo hard to find in our beautiful home of London. We swiftly hopped into the mini-van to take a boozy trip to the beautiful town of eské Budejovice, home of the impressive Budvar brewery. The next morning we were up nice and early (a bit dusty from the night before) to fulfil our purpose of being in the Czech Republic. We got to the brewery and were greeted by an intimidating round of pints to taste, but more importantly met the master brewer, Mr Joseph Tolar, a veteran with 30 years brewing under his belt. Joseph took us around the massive site and gave us an amazing tour, all the while expressing his passion for his profession. We went through the whole beer making process from scratch, including the breathtaking bottling production line. The whole trip was an eye-opener for the Soho House team and has made us really appreciate what lengths are taken to create a beautiful and consistent brew. Be sure to sign your name up for the next trip as it is a special one. 4 HOUSE TONIC
Bar consultants Bar Lab are behind many cool bars in Miami and were kind enough to host a training for the House Tonic Miami team at one of their pop-up venues, Broken Shaker at Freehand. The two-part training started with the red wines by the glass in Miami’s Club Bar. Sommelier Andrew Alvarez led the first part of the training and talked about the various regions that our wines come from, ways to sell and offer the wines, and recommended food pairings. Bar Lab’s Elad Zvi conducted the second half of the training and took us through a brief history of mixology, his own influences and inspirations, how he got his start in the business and what led him to create Bar Lab and the Broken Shaker pop-up bar concept.
Sir Kensington At Soho House, we love condiments (writes Julia Taylor-Brown). A lot! How can you not love a good ketchup, mayonnaise, aioli… chilli… relish…chutney… mustard… So we were very excited to welcome Mark Ramadan and Scott Norton, the creators of Sir Kensington’s condiments, to the Soho House New York pantry bar to teach us a little bit more about the history of ketchup and mayonnaise. Members from both the Cookhouse and House Tonic teams tasted the classic and spicy ketchups, the all-natural non-GMO mayonnaises and a new, yet to be released mayonnaise flavour (we can’t share the recipe with you yet!). That made us feel very cool. Favourites included the Bloody Kensington, an alcoholic use for ketchup. We ended the session by plastering ourselves with Sir Kensington’s temporary tattoos. Awesome. www.sirkensington.com
NEWS
Speed Rounds Being a brilliant bartender is all about speed of service and consistency. So we’re throwing open a speed bartending competition for our staff later this summer. Get ready to smash out some excellent drinks. See housetonic.com for details.
Being Cordial
Grey Goose Seasonal Cocktail
Chase Vodka
Every season, Soho House and Grey Goose devise a new cocktail for those in the know to try. It won’t appear on Soho House’s lists but you can get one in any of the Houses. Find out more on page 26 and go to www.housetonic.com to see a video of just how to make it.
Soho House’s UK bartenders travelled to Hereford to check out the Chase Vodka potato farm and distillery. After falling in love with bespoke spirits in the USA, the Chase family decided to give distilling a go in an attempt to make a British single estate potato vodka. Years on, it is now the main focus of the farm, which produces a full range of products. On a tour led by James Chase, we learnt how they peel, mash, ferment, distill and hand bottle all their spirits, sampling at the various stages. Finishing up the day with a full tasting, we headed back to London with squinty eyes and a bag full of goodies.
Le Citron Chamomile Gimlet serves 1 for the cocktail: 60ml Grey Goose Le Citron 35ml green apple-camomile cordial for the cordial: 400ml very strong camomile tea (10 teaspoons to one pot) 400g sugar (1:1) 1 ½ Bonzer barspoons citric acid 1 ½ Bonzer barspoons malic acid Make the cordial by dissolving the sugar in the strong camomile tea. Add the citric and malic acids (malic acid comes from green apples). To make the cocktail shake with ice, then double strain into coupette. Garnish with an apple wheel in the glass.
Summer Fizz Look out for lots of alternatives to Champagne appearing on lists around Soho House venues – sommelier Christopher Cooper has been running tastings for staff exploring all sorts of sparklers, from Italian Proseccos to French fizzes from Saumur. Look out for a really terrific Lambrusco too, a sparkling and refreshing red wine, available by the glass.
Family-owned company Bottlegreen has been making drinks and cordials since the early 1990s, and now produce a range that stretches from natural cordials to sparkling presses. They are all produced in the UK and we’re pleased to announce that we’re now serving some of our favourites in sites across the group.
Sherry: Not Just For Grannies Sherry is having a seriously cool moment right now, and sommelier Christopher Cooper is super keen to get us all trying it, as it’s one of his favourite drinks. He has already run classes for members at High Road House and Babington House, and training sessions for staff explaining that it’s not all sweet Harvey’s Bristol Cream, explaining the different dry styles and how to store and chill them. Look out for more sessions on www.houseseven.com if you’re a member or housetonic.com for staff.
Freshly Squeezed Following on from their West Hollywood colleagues, who are unsurprisingly past masters at the art of juicing, Soho House’s Londonbased bartenders are getting into squeezing and pressing too. Look for apple, carrot, lemon and ginger; wheatgrass with avocado, apple, lemon and pineapple; or broccoli with kale, beetroot apple and celery – all juiced to order. There have been a couple of unexpected juice requests though – anyone for a vodka, carrot, apple and spirulina, as ordered at Soho House? HOUSE TONIC 5
APERITIFS
Gentlemen’s Wit
Amarone at Cecconi’s For the first time, guests can now order Amarone by the glass at Cecconi’s Mayfair. It’s a big, rich, smooth red wine, and makes for a pretty serious drink. Grab a glass next time you can.
Before entering this quarter’s cocktail competition (see page 8) staff were offered the chance to visit Camden Brewery, where Gentleman’s Wit beer, the main ingredient for the comp, is brewed. A lovely afternoon with Camden’s master brewer was spent at the North London site. Underneath old Victorian arches, you’ll find a small but perfectly formed brewery, which produces six types of beer in the brewery’s classic series, as well as one or two special editions. Brewed with roasted lemons and bergamot, Gentleman’s Wit bursts with the zesty lemon flavour, and spiciness of the wit yeast and perfume-y, floral bergamot. See how the competitors got on inside.
Fame! Two of Soho House’s top bar gurus have had a little taste of fame recently. Head over to Barchick.com to read an interview with Sam Kershaw about his life as a bartender and how he’s promoting his Bacardi comp shortlisted drink Favourite Frost over the coming year. Hit Bon Appetit’s site to read an interview with creative bar director Chris Ojeda about Los Angeles’ thriving bar scene.
Jared Brown Jared Brown, cocktail expert and Sipsmith master distiller, paid a visit to Electric House to host a session on Martinis and Sipsmith spirits. Author of Shaken Not Stirred and general bartending legend, Jared entertained us with endless anecdotes from his career. Now, master distillery and the creative brain behind Sipsmith’s Gin he shared his knowledge on the subject and kept us refreshed with cocktail suggestions and samples of the full range.
Want to join one of our bar teams around the world? Email housetonic@ sohohouse.com or see www.housetonic.com 6 HOUSE TONIC
Tuscan Wine Tour What a beautiful trip in every way possible (writes Matt Walsh from Pizza East Portobello). Four lucky wine lovers were sent off to sample some Tuscan delights in the company of wine company Enotria. First stop was Fonterutoli, a beautiful Tuscan hamlet in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. With an insightful tour round the Mazzei family vineyard (one of the oldest vineyards in the history of wine making in Chianti), what else could one do other than quaff the fine wine and gorge on wild boar… Heaven! The following day we were off to the Cecchi vineyard, famous for its hospitality. They didn’t disappoint. After a lengthy wine tasting, we were treated to an exquisite fine dining experience in their guesthouse accompanied by the Cecchi wines. Wow. The trip was a dream, as was everything that was consumed!
Redchurch Brewery Longstanding home-brewer Gary Ward took the leap from lawyer to beer-maker when he set up his commercial brewing site in Bethnal Green in 2011. A year and a half on he’s taken his hobby to a whole new level, and now produces a range of seven beers. With distribution reaching much further than London (as far as Sweden and Australia), things seem to be going rather well. Gary kindly showed the House Tonic team his unique set up, and then the crew headed to Brick Lane’s oldest Indian restaurant for curry and beers. Redchurch brewery’s Bethnal Pale Ale and Hackney Gold can be sampled at Shoreditch House, Pizza East Shoreditch and Hoxton Grill.
NEWS
Coachella It has to be one of the most sought-after pop-up gigs going in Soho House. Only the lucky few get the chance to work at Coachella, with sunshine and fabulousness pretty much guaranteed. Over the second weekend of the Coachella Music Festival, Soho House partnered with Bacardi for an unforgettable weekend in the desert. The weekend’s festivities were also supported by Samsung Galaxy and took place at a private estate in La Quinta. UK band Foals kicked off the weekend with a poolside DJ set, followed by Wynne Bennett from popular synth-pop group Twin Shadow and British indie-rock quartet Alt J. Also present at the Soho House pop-up were Jillionaire and Walshy Fire from Major Lazer. Poolside DJ sets continued with Chris Baio from Vampire Weekend, Welsh house and techno DJ Jamie Jones and Jordan Lawlor from M83. Psychedelic rockers Father John Misty took advantage of the rolling lawns and laid out by the pond with members of La Roux and New Order. All the while Soho House bartenders kept everyone refreshed.
Eagle Rock Soho House West Hollywood was pleased to welcome Ting Su, co-owner of the Eagle Rock Brewery, for a session on craft beer and food. The family-owned microbrewery produces small-batch artisanal beers using the best ingredients, and are incredibly active in developing the beer community in Los Angeles. They were the first brewery in over 60 years to be based in Los Angeles. Over a meal designed to pair with beers, and course by course, Ting talked us through the various types she presented (a selection of Eagle Rock Brewery beers as well as Peroni and Chimay Blue, which we carry on tap), their accompanying complementary flavours and asked us why they worked together. The menu included: Solitary Black Mild with meatballs, tomato and basil, Peroni with Hamachi Crudo, Manifesto Witbier with Humboldt Fog, Unionist Belgian Pale with sweet potato, chilli and crème fraiche, plus roast beet and burrata salad, Revolution XPA with flat iron chicken and Chimay Blue with goat’s cheese and black truffle pizza plus wild mushroom pizza. Wonderful!
Ruinart Visit The Champagne house of Ruinart is unlike any other, as discovered by a House Tonic team of bartenders and management. The first established Champagne House (in 1729) played host to sommelier Christopher Cooper and group of eager Wine Ambassadors with a thirst for knowledge. First on the agenda were the vineyards themselves, where we mused over the fine arts of pruning and vine maintenance while sipping the even finer flavours of Ruinart’s Blanc de Blancs (experiencing Champagne’s terroir directly underfoot). We discovered first-hand the house’s chiselled chalk cellars and wine-making processes before tasting the range of Ruinart available by the glass at Little House, as well as a very special Dom Ruinart. Class in a glass... Cheers everyone!
Galvin Cup Congrats to Michal Buben, Paolo Lazzarich and Payam Ahmadpanah who all competed in the Galvin Cup cocktail competition at London’s Bulgari Hotel, using Babicka vodka to make Martinis. They didn’t win but scored brilliantly in a very competitive field. Well done chaps! HOUSE TONIC 7
APERITIFS
Cazadores and Gentlemen’s Wit Cocktail Competitions Two more fantastic cocktail competitions took place this quarter, one among bartenders and one between bar managers. As ever, the standard was high and the supporters were loud! Photographs by Dai Williams
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he managers comp took place in the basement at High Road House, with each bar manager making a drink from the Cazadores range of tequilas. They were given the theme Modern Mexican and had to provide full costings and specs for their drink. The judges (Gareth Jones, Joey Medrington from the Bacardi training team, Megan Demeulenaere, Cazadores’ Brand Ambassador and Tom Kerr European bars manager) were looking for delicious and exciting drinks from the crew, who had all had training from Megan the week before. Lots of amazing and creative drinks were served up and when it came to picking a winner the judges had a fight on their hands. The results were very close but first place went to Damian Szyjduk, head bartender at Pizza East Portobello, for which he gets extra kudos as he’s relatively junior compared to other entrants. Second place went to Nick Antonopoulos, then bar manager at Pizza East Kentish Town and now at Café Boheme’ (who managed to sneak in a little impression of our creative bar director, Chris Ojeda). Marco Pettorossi, bar manager at High Road House came third, which was a great way to celebrate his recent step up from the number two position at HRH. Marco also gets special mention for his exceptional food pairing: he rustled up nachos, served with salsa and Cazadores-flavoured crème fraiche to go with his cocktail.
The bartenders’ competition was a completely different affair, as for the first time, rather than a spirit, the cocktails had to be made with a beer: Gentleman’s Wit, a wheat beer from London’s Camden Town Brewery, which is served at the Electric. Made with bergamot and roasted lemons, it’s a delicious, citrussy and full-flavoured beer, and needed some thoughtful and inventive bartending to make the most of it. The judging team – Gareth Jones, Zoe WulfsohnDunkley from Camden Town Brewery, beer writer Melissa Cole and House Tonic editor Rebecca Seal – was particularly impressed by the top four cocktails. In joint third place were Arthur Lenevue from Electric House, who used calvados, apple juice and lavender to great effect with the beer, and Giovanni Pende from Soho House London, who used strawberries, cherry and bourbon as partners to the Gentleman’s Wit. Marianna Pinna also from Soho House London, came second with a clever drink using asparagus molasses that she made herself, plus lemon, chilli and gin. Sweeping the board with first place though was Hideyuki Saito from Electric House, whose elegant drink included homemade sweetcorn syrup and orange liqueur, paired with a sweetcorn crème brulée. Congratulations to all our winners and runners up!
COCKTAIL COMPETITIONS
Bartender Competition Winner Hideyuki Saito, Electric House
Gentleman’s Afternoon 85ml / 2¾ oz Gentleman’s Wit 40ml / 1 ½ oz Gentleman Jack 5ml / ¼ oz Clement Liqueur Creole 25ml / ¾ oz lemon juice 50ml / 1¾ oz homemade Gentleman’s Wit and sweetcorn syrup 7 dashes Angostura bitters ½ egg white Shake and fine strain into a vintage beer mug, served on a book as a tray with homemade sweetcorn crème brûlée on the side.
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Manager’s Competition Winner Damian Szyjduk, Pizza East Portobello
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Place inside your shaker the lemon juice, creme de peche, egg and cucumber. Don’t muddle it, just give it a dry shake first. Then add the Martini Blanco, tequila and ice. Shake vigorously and double strain into a chilled coupe glass. No garnish. Extract oil from a lemon zest over the glass and a touch over the glass rim.
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50 ml / 1½ oz Cazadores reposado tequila 25 ml / ¾ oz Martini Blanco 25 ml / ¾ oz Marie Lizard creme de peche (infused with 8 fresh green chillies for 3 days) 25 ml / ¾ oz fresh lemon juice 2 slices of cucumber 1 egg white
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A Gentleman’s Wit cocktail The bar manager winners Bartender winner Hideyuki Saito An inventive tequila serve
Would you like to get behind one of Soho 05 06 07
Megan Demeulenaere and Damian Szyjduk House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit Hideyuki’s winning cocktail www.housetonic.com Gentleman’s Wit is great in long drinks
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AT THE BAR
YOUR FRIENDLY BARTENDER Jay Newell Bars Manager, Soho House London Portrait by Steven Joyce
I
moved from the north of England down to London when I was about 18, to take a job that my old man had offered me – he was an architect and that’s what I was studying. It was just meant to be a temporary thing to get some money together so I could spend the next summer working in Ibiza (which I did). I fully intended to go back home, but I never made it. I carried on working and living in London as an apprentice for my dad and I fell into bar work as a weekend job for the extra cash. The first job I had was in a late-night bar that a friend of mine ran but they didn’t make cocktails. They wanted to jump on the cocktail scene – which was then growing in London – and that’s what first got me interested. I then went to work at a place that was concentrating more on vintage drinks. From there, I got interested in drinks history and alcohol as a whole and that’s when I started reading books, articles and blogs. I moved to work in the West End when I was 21. From then on, everywhere I’ve worked has been in or around Soho, even though they’ve all been very different places. The first bar in Soho was one of the best periods of my bartending life, in a little dive bar on Frith St – you could walk straight past it and not even know it was there. The windows were blacked out and there was no sign outside, but it was popular. The owner was young, intelligent, charismatic and really easy to learn from. Soon, he left the running of the bar to me. The takings from the previous night would be used to buy stock from Gerry’s and Oddbins, as well as pay wages so it was all a bit...chaotic but easy going. Towards the end I suspect the overheads outweighed everything so it closed. Following that, I did a stint with Novus Leisure because of the managerial prospects but hated it. After that I was employed for the opening of Barrio Central in Soho. That was my first real managerial role and I was made assistant general manager in a short period of time but when you’re working in a small independent bar, there’s not that much of a ladder you can climb,which 10 HOUSE TONIC
is why I started looking for a job within the Soho House group. I became bar manager at Café Boheme and a House Tonic Ambassador (HTA) shortly after. I was at Café Boheme for six months and then I moved to Soho House – I was offered the job and said yes on the spot without even thinking about it. I mean, why wouldn’t you take it? I didn’t really know anything about the House Tonic programme when I started. But I quickly learnt it was all about training and development, which is always something I’ve done – I think that as a bar manager or head bartender it’s your duty to develop other people’s skills. I have now developed my own training programmes, just as all the other HTAs have, to roll out to staff in all our units. At the House Tonic summit this year we talked about what the company should focus on and how to best move forward with beverages in the next 12 months. We take in everything from coffee, wine and soft drinks, to speed of service and service standards, and how to interact with guests, everything that a bartender should know. Plus, keeping staff enthusiastic and passionate is partly down to people like me and the other HTAs motivating them. Soho House also offers great management training. Every two to three months managers have to complete three or four training sessions, and you can’t progress until you’ve completed them. I’ve had training in grievance and disciplinaries, time keeping (I didn’t actually think my time keeping was that bad until I went on the course!) and recruitment. Even a three day Wine Academy course which I recently completed was included. My aspirations might be more about training, rather than managing a bar, but always on the beverage side, developing barbacks into bartenders and bartenders into head bartenders and so on. Long term I’d love to go Stateside, whether for a short or long period of time, but definitely with the Soho House Group.
Want to join one of our bar teams around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or see www.housetonic.com
FRIENDLY BARTENDER
“I was at Café Boheme for six months and then I moved to Soho House – I was offered the job and said yes on the spot without even thinking about it. I mean, why wouldn’t you take it?”
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AT THE BAR
Millions of peaches, peaches for me For the next couple of months, peaches are at their best. Make the most of this versatile seasonal ingredient – whether you choose to make a deliciously simple Bellini or Mimosa, or experiment with savoury herbs like rosemary, or with amaros and delicate spices. We asked our bartenders for a few of their favourite peach recipes and peachy pairings to get you inspired.
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ANATOMY OF INGREDIENT
The Princess Peach Cocktail By Adam Baca, Soho House New York The name of this is a little throwback to us gamers of the 1990s! pinch of rosemary ½ oz/15ml mezcal 1 ½ oz/45ml tequila 1 oz/30ml lime juice ¾ oz/20ml cinnamon, vanilla and peach syrup* Shake, serve in rocks glass with grilled peach and rosemary sprig. *To make the cinnamon, vanilla and peach syrup: chop up 6 stoned peaches and blowtorch to caramelise. Blend with a tsp of vanilla extract, two dashes cinnamon and purée. Strain through cheese cloth to extract juice. Add 1:1 peach juice to sugar, plus a couple of dashes of whole anise and reduce.
Peachy facts Peaches are related to plums, cherries and almonds and their stones have a distinct almond flavour (together these are known as stone fruits, a common term in wine tasting). Nectarines are in fact peaches, just without the fuzzy skin. They first grew in China and South Asia before being cultivated in Greece and Persia, which is where they get their modern name from. Peaches then travelled to the Americas in the 16th century with Spanish explorers, and then back to Europe a hundred years later. White peaches are generally sweeter and less acidic than yellow peaches, which have higher acidity and tarter flavour. Redness on the skin doesn’t necessarily indicate ripeness, instead look for a strong peachy scent. The fruits ripen best on the tree so if you buy green peaches they probably won’t ripen at all. Peach jams and preserves are well known, but you can also pickle peaches or use them in shrubs.
Peachy drinks to try
Booze that pairs brilliantly with fresh peach
Cecconi ’s West Hollywood ’s White Peach Bellini
Bourbon, gin, vodka, rum, cachaça Champagne, prosecco, moscato Tequila, mezcal Framboise White vermouth Bitter amaros like Aperol, Campari or Cynar Cherry liqueurs like Luxardo, kirsch or Cherry Heering
Pour the puree into the bottom of a mixing glass and add Champagne, stirring gently. Strain into coupe glass.
Flavours that go perfectly with fresh peach
Lemon Peach Caipirinha
Rosemary, thyme, mint, basil, sage Lemon, lime Ginger, rose, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, orange blossom Strawberry, cherry, mango, grape, blackberry, blueberry Dairy, coconut, almond Jasmine, elderflower, rooibos Food pairings: salted and cured meats, blue cheese, vanilla custard
1 oz/30ml white peach puree 4oz/120ml Champagne
By Rick Nani, Cecconi’s Miami 2 oz/60ml Leblon cachaça ¾ oz/20ml lemon juice 1 bar spoon brown sugar 3 muddled lemon wedges 1 oz/30ml peach purée clapped mint Strain over crushed ice, garnish with mint and a lemon wheel.
Whiskey Peach Smash, Peach Cobbler, Peach Collins, Peach Daiquiri, Peach Julep HOUSE TONIC 13
AT THE BAR
What’s your favourite
VERMOUTH? We asked our top bartenders to tell us which vermouths they favour – whether for sipping or mixing.
Sam Kershaw, Electric House Really it depends on the cocktail and the base spirit, especially as there’s so many nowadays! Lillet Blanc will always be a favourite, for Fifty Fifties, 20th Century cocktails, Corpse Reviver #2. Antica Formula raised the bar a few years back, but I prefer the bitterness of Punt e Mes in a Negroni or Old Pal; Noilly Prat for a 6:1 Martini or Martini Rosso in a rye Manhattan or a Hanky Panky. The list is endless...
in California. It’s a relatively new company and it’s pretty cool seeing the States getting in on a predominantly French and Italian dominated category.
Jay Newell, Soho House London Sacred is a spiced English vermouth that’s a winner for me. Ian Hart makes the stuff in his kitchen in Highgate, London. It’s made with Somerset woodworm too.
Paolo Lazzarich, Pizza East Shoreditch Matt Sloper, Little House Mayfair
Sabina Westfal, Soho House Berlin
I was looking for the right vermouth for a vodka Martini for the Babicka Wormwood vodka cocktail competition, which allows you to choose which vermouth you use. I chose Riserva Calo Alberto Vermut Extra, which is from my home city, Torino, and has been produced since 1837 (which is 31 years before Martini and Rossi). I tried to find it here in London but after getting nowhere, I contacted them directly and after a few weeks I got a delivery directly to PES. Straight away, I was impressed by the strong note of cloves, which then gently disappeared and left my palate with an interesting bouquet of different herbs and spices (which are all mentioned on the back of the bottle). This is what I was looking for! A grapefruit zest completes the drink, and I don’t think Babicka Wormwood and this vermouth have been used together before. I like it on the rocks as well, with a twist of lemon and orange, and I’m sure I will use it in more cocktails.
Cocchi Americano. In a Twentieth Century cocktail. A winner!
Lauren Shaw, Electric Diner
Antica Formula is my base for all sweet Manhattans! Tonnes of depth and herbaceous spicy notes. And it works with something punchy like Knob Creek or Rittenhouse 100 proof.
Kate Grutman, Soho House West Hollywood I love Punt e Mes for a Cornwall Negroni (½ shot Punt e Mes, ½ shot Carpano Antica, ½ shot Campari, 2 shots gin) or a Redhook (½ shot Punt e Mes, ½ shot Maraschino, 2 shots rye whisky).
Giacomo, Cecconi’s London A good Negroni needs a prestigious vermouth, Antica Formula vermouth from Giuseppe Carpano hits the very top and it’s not made for the masses. Try your next Negroni with Antica Formula and you will say ciao to Martini Rosso.
Chad Love, Soho Beach House Miami I’m fond of Vya, small batch vermouths made 14 HOUSE TONIC
Its all about Antica Formula for me. Rich and moreish. Or, now its getting summery, a cheeky Martini Bianco...
What is vermouth? It’s an aromatised, fortified wine with a long history – wine has been flavoured with herbs for as long as we’ve been drinking it. The word vermouth comes from Wermut, German for wormwood, one of its early ingredients, although its modern incarnation has Italian heritage. Vermouth is flavoured with botanicals and can be bitter, sweet, dry, bianco, rosso, amber or rose. It’s brilliant in cocktails but can also be drunk as an aperitif or digestif.
Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com
BAR SHOWS
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The West Hollywood bar crew Christine Joaquin from Soho House West Hollywood Colin Appiah and Adrian Biggs from Bacardi Soho Beach House and Cecconi’s Miami crew
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LA and Miami
BAR SHOWS Following on from successful Soho House Bar Shows in London, Toronto and New York, the team rolled into Los Angeles and then Miami, for a few days of shaking, training and pimping some drinks.
F
irst, the Bar Show set up shop at Soho House West Hollywood. Teams from Soho House and Cecconi’s spent a day with Bacardi’s training managers, learning about spirits, tools and technique. Colin Appiah shared his collection of vintage bar tools. Adrian Biggs and Ian MacPherson ran the Shake Your Style workshop, measuring the effectiveness of our teams’ shakes, and suggested tweaks and techniques based on their shaking style. The newest addition to the Bar Show was Pimp Your Drink, an introduction to the flash infusion technique. An array of herbs, spices and tropical fruit was available for experimentation. The combinations were endless! For Miami, we hosted the Bar Show on the 8th Floor, making our way between the
library and Ocho, the salty ocean breezes beckoning us to host the Bar Show on the beach instead. We did two category trainings, one on whiskeys and the other on tequila. Ian went amazingly in depth with the team, while Ben Carlotto and his encyclopaedic brain really brought out the tequila knowledge! A new addition to the schedule for Miami was Around the World in Five Cocktails. The gents shared cocktail history as it spread across the globe and took us all around the world, starting in Havana with a Hemingway Daiquiri. The Hemingway Daiquiri was created for Ernest Hemingway, who was a diabetic and couldn’t consume sugar. Maraschino liqueur and grapefruit juice were used as an alternate sweetening agent in this blended
daiquiri. (Legend has it that Hemingway could put away 16 of these in one sitting. Oof.) We then moved on to France, Harry’s Bar, the Bloody Mary, sharing lots of tips about what not to do in a bar along the way (fondling hot dogs with your bare hands and then moving on to make cocktails is a definite don’t! Particularly when there is no hand-washing involved.) We then spun over to Asia with the White Lady and the Japanese Hard Shake (Chris Ojeda’s speciality), and wrapped it up by landing in the good ol’ US of A with a Fish House Punch. Adrian’s favorite liquor is rum, so it was only fitting that he’d end the lesson with a rum, cognac and brandy cocktail. We rounded the day out with Shake Your Style, where the Miami team really showed us their stuff. HOUSE TONIC 15
AT THE BAR
FAST AND FABULOUS Why batching and blending rules
Not all cocktails get whipped up in a shaker. To be a great bartender you need to be just as adept with an old-school blender as you are with your trusty tin. As well as embracing older techniques, Soho House is also investing in a new way of making cocktails – carefully batching a chosen few recipes and serving them on tap for super speedy and consistent drinks. Here, we take a look at shaker-less cocktails, as served in Soho sites around the world. Photo by Steven Joyce
ALL BATCHED UP! The recently re-opened roof at Shoreditch is all-new in lots of ways – not only has it been given a whole new look but it’s also got its own brand new bar, with a new way of serving drinks too. Serving cocktails on tap already happens in a few of the coolest bars in the USA, but it had never been tried in the UK before, until the team behind the Jugs Bar at Shoreditch started their experiments. “It’s taken a lot of work and experimentation to get to a place where we are really happy with the cocktails on tap,” explains House Tonic’s European ambassador Tom Kerr. “Working with Joe McCanta from Grey 16 HOUSE TONIC
Goose and Joey Medrington from Bacardi, we tried all sorts of things – and in fact we completely scrapped the first set we developed. Ultimately we’ve gone for classics: a Mojito, Soho Mule, Pimms Cocktail, Rum Punch and an Apple Cooler,” all of which pour beautifully from a nifty set of taps ranged across the back of the Jug Bar. “It’s about consistency and speed of service on the roof, which gets very busy, but also about enabling people to get cocktails and share them with friends.” The team have worked hard to ensure that they are delivering cocktails of exactly the same high standard guests get when drinks are shaken in front of them – as Joe
McCanta says, “We’re only using luxury ingredients – this isn’t a cheap option and it’s taken time and prep and thought to get here.” Every drink is freshly batched every two days and carefully checked to be sure that the drinks stay absolutely consistent. Natural malic acid from apples and citric acid from citrus fruits keeps everything in balance. The drinks are poured through a chiller system into vintage-style, multi-coloured enamel jugs, garnished with just-cut fruit or fresh green herbs, and served in pool-safe cut-crystal style glasses. If you don’t fancy a cocktail, you can get rosé, white wine, beer or cider in a jug. Perfect for a lazy afternoon by the pool.
FAST AND FABULOUS
“Serving cocktails on tap already happens in a few of the coolest bars in the USA, but it hadn’t been tried in the UK until the team behind the Jugs Bar at Shoreditch started their experiments”
Tom Kerr in the brand new Jugs Bar, on the roof of Shoreditch House
HOUSE TONIC 17
AT THE BAR
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry is a world authority on tiki drinks. This recipe is from his brilliant book, Beachbum Berry Remixed (beachbumberry.com)
Beachnik 25ml/3/4 oz fresh lemon juice 25ml/3/4 oz Licor 43 15ml/1/2 oz Bärenjäger 45ml/1 1/2 oz light Puerto Rican rum 240ml/8 oz (1 cup) crushed ice Put everything in a blender. Blend at high speed for up to 10 seconds. Pour unstrained into a pilsner glass or speciality glass. Mahalo.
Don the Beachcomber’ bar
“Back in the 1950s and 1960s, every good bar had a blender and every bartender knew how to use it to make pitch perfect frozen daiquiris and pina coladas”
BLENDING RULES! Back in the 1950s and 1960s, every good bar had a blender and every bartender knew how to use it to make pitch-perfect frozen daiquiris and pina coladas. By the 1970s, when blenders were over-used to whizz up cream liqueurs and ice cream spiked with booze, bartenders began to fall out of love. These days, blenders are not held in such high esteem behind the stick, but Chris Ojeda, Soho House’s creative bar director, is on a mission to change that, and has been leading training sessions on how to get the most out of your blender. “Blenders are often feared,” he explains. “People look at them and they think of Houlihans or TGI Friday’s, particularly in the US. But 30 years ago using a blender was part of the standard training if you wanted to be a good bartender. Since the speakeasy trend, we’ve shunned our blenders, focusing 18 HOUSE TONIC
on harder, darker drinks. But blended drinks should form part of our repertoire.” Chris reckons there are some fantastic blended cocktails to be experimented with. “We should all practise and expand our knowledge of recipes. You can find them in the brilliant Trader Vic’s bar manual, or look out for recipes from Don the Beachcomber or Jerry ‘Beachbum’ Berry.” Don the Beachcomber opened his LA tiki bar in 1933 and blenders became commercially available from 1937 onwards, meaning staff no longer had to handcarve crushed ice from large blocks. Rather more recently Berry has authored five books on vintage tiki drinks and food and his drinks have appeared on lists in places like PDT and PKNY in New York, Luau and Rivera in LA; clearly there’s a rather cool renaissance happening in the US when it comes to old-school blended drinks. (See recipe above.) Chris is also keen to get bartenders
thinking about ingredients that are all too often rejected these days. “Something like Blue Curacao is a no-no in a classic bar, but it’s so good to play around with these things.” So his training sessions include time looking at things like cream of coconut – “It lends a nice sweetness” – or orgeat, but equally also focus on quality – great spirits, fresh juices, interesting bitters. There’s also a certain science to blended drinks. For instance, “the sugar ratio needs to be three times what it normally is because the ice inflates the surface area of the drink. To be balanced there needs to be a lot more of it.” When it comes to making sours or anything else with egg white in, using a blender is a good – and easy – way to get a perfect consistency. But frozen drinks are trickier – ideally the drink should be thick enough to just cling to the blender, but you’ve got to be able to pour it easily out of the jug.
FAST AND FABULOUS
Daiquiri No.1 Frozen (Difford’s 16:6:6:1 formula) 2 shots Bacardi Superior rum ¾ shot freshly squeezed lime juice ¾ shot Monin pure cane sugar syrup (2:1 sugar/water) 1/8 shot Luxardo maraschino liqueur Blend well all ingredients with 6oz scoop of crushed ice. Strain blended drink through a fine strainer to remove ice fragments. Serve in a Martini glass garnished with a maraschino cherry Blend with too much ice and you will have a tasteless slushy drink that will give you brain-ache if you drink it too fast. However, made correctly and fine strained this is a superbly refreshing drink. diffordsguide.com
Pina Colada served at Soho House West Hollywood
COCKTAIL GURU AND FRIEND OF HOUSE TONIC SIMON DIFFORD’S PERFECT BLEND: “Having learnt to bartend at a Tex-Mex, the sound of a blender still gives me nightmares – blended margaritas and pina coladas all night long. That said, I remember having my first proper blended daiquiri in Cuba and just how great it tasted. Due to lurid coloured, flavoured daiquiris this will never be a cool drink again, but it remains a brilliant classic. Daiquiris were originally shaken and served ‘straight-up’ or ‘on-the-rocks’. The frozen, blended version is said to have first been
produced by Emilio Gonzalez at the Plaza Hotel in Cuba. However, it was made famous by Constantino (Constante) Ribalagua Vert who presided over the bar at Havana’s La Florida (later renamed Floridita to distinguish it from the restaurant of the same name) for some forty years until his death in early December 1952. In his 1948 book, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, David A. Embury writes of Havana’s Floridita, “This restaurant, at the corner of Obispo and Monserrate streets in Havana, became known as ‘La Catedral del Daiquiri’ (The Temple of the Daiquiri) and Ribalagua as the Cocktail King – ‘El Rey de
los Coteleros’”. The title was, indeed, well deserved. His limes were gently squeezed with his fingers lest even a drop of the bitter oil from the peel get into the drink; the cocktails were mixed (but not over-mixed) in a Waring Blender; the stinging cold drink was strained through a fine sieve into the glass so that not one tiny piece of the ice remained in it. No detail was overlooked in achieving the flawless perfection of the drink. Ernest Hemingway, the hard-drinking, Nobel prize-winning author, lived in Cuba for years, indulging his passions for fishing, shooting and boozing. In the 30s and the 40s he would often work his way through twelve of the Floridita’s frozen Daiquiris – often doubles, renamed ‘Papa Dobles’ in his honour. The Hemingway Special Daiquiri, which includes grapefruit, was created for him. In his book Islands in the Stream, Hemingway’s hero stares deep into his frozen Daiquiri, and Hemingway writes, “It reminded him of the sea. The frappéd part of the drink was like the wake of a ship and the clear part was the way the water looked when the bow cut it when you were in shallow water over marl bottom. That was almost the exact colour.” For more, see diffordsguide.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 19
AT THE BAR
HOW TO TASTE WINE Christopher Cooper, Soho House’s European sommelier, gives us an introduction to wine tasting, plus recommendations of some perfect wines for summer. Photo by Steven Joyce
W
ine is such a personal thing and the beauty of it is that we all taste different things, so there are no wrong answers. Tasting wine is an art form, but in the same way that primary school kids create art and artistic geniuses create art, we all have the ability to do it to some extent. What stops us getting into wine, is that we have a horror of not being right or feeling alienated from those around us, having our shortcomings in knowledge exposed. Surely, though, we can all taste things? Like the difference between apple and orange juice…sure, that’s easy! And the textural differences between eating an apple or a banana… absolutely, of course they have a different texture. If we can all do that then we all have the ability to taste, but to be really good at it we just need experience. I’m not talking about those people who know the difference between a St Julien Bordeaux and a St Emilion Bordeaux, though. I’m talking about what we taste every day. Our experiences to date made us into the kind of individuals that we are today. It is no different with tasting and eating. We all eat the things we like the taste of and we don’t eat what we dislike, but we do remember what things taste like and it’s that back catalogue of fla-
vours and references we remember that make us the wine tasters that we all are, or can be. Ordinary everyday flavours like lime, lemon, apple or plum are great initial reference points when tasting wine, but there’s a whole lot more flavour out there than those. There are tropical fruit flavours, leafy (or herbaceous) flavours, vegetable flavours, dairy flavours, or others like spices, earthy ones like hay or soil, and minerally flavours like chalk. (I’m not encouraging people to lick any stones.) Some of these flavours may seem a bit odd but they really are flavours that can be tasted in wine, other than just “wine”. Of course, some people find that wine does just taste like wine, and that’s fine. But I’d encourage you to taste again and look beyond the big “wine” flavour to find the subtle flavours that make each wine taste different. When you meet people who are wine buffs and they exclaim “This tastes like a 2001 Pauillac”, then they probably know only because they’ve tasted a 2001 Pauillac and can remember it (and I daresay if you tasted one, you’d probably remember it too). That’s all a wine expert is…someone who has tasted a load of wines and can tell you what they taste like.
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Five things to do when tasting wine Look at the wine – Use the white table cloth or a white wall to check out the colour of the wine. Smell the wine – Swirl the glass around in your hand or on the table to get more aromas in the bowl of the glass. Taste the wine – Do the silly slurpy thing! It increases your
ability to taste the aromas of the wine. Taste it again – This is where you get to taste the underlying flavours and look past the big initial hit of flavour. Tell us what you think – You’re not wrong with what you can taste, because it IS what you can taste.
Five of the best summer tipples Lambrusco ‘Vecchia Modena’ Cleto Chiarli, Italy NV – forget everything you think about when you hear the word Lambrusco, this is an outstanding sparkling red that’s so refreshing on the roof at Shoreditch. Assyrtiko, Tsantali, Agioritikos, Greece 11 – pronounced ‘a-sert-icko’ this indigenous Greek white wine is a fantastic Sauvignon Blanc alternative and proof there’s more to Greece than Retsina. Godello, Mara Martin, Monterrei, Spain 11 – there are some great
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fresher and lighter whites from Spain and this Godello does not disappoint. Smooth and tropical with flavours of apple blossom. Chateau Beaulieu, Aix-en-Provence, France 11 – an amazing and delicately balanced Provence rosé. This wine has the classic salmon pink colour and fragrance. (Pictured, right.) Zweigelt ‘Junger Knabe’, Heiderer-Mayer, Austria 11 – if you’re in Berlin then this is a must-try wine. Zweigelt is the name of the grape and it’s a bit like a smoother, aromatic Pinot Noir.
WINE
Chateau Beaulieu from Provence
HOUSE TONIC 21
AT THE BAR
Wine in focus
RIESLING In the first of our explorations of lesser known grapes, Jaimee Anderson, sommelier at Soho House West Hollywood, tells us everything we need to know about an often unsung grape: Riesling.
W
hen summertime comes around, I tend to recommend more aromatic and floral wines that provide racy acidity and unique mineral flavours. There are many grapes that can provide this experience but there’s something about Riesling, a misunderstood and underrated grape, that keeps you on your toes. Despite producing some of the most interesting wines in the world, a negative idea has developed over the years that all Rieslings are sweet, poorly made or mass-produced. This is just not the case. Not only is the winemaking process difficult with Riesling, the grape is also an exceptional example of the effect of terroir (the effect that the place it is grown has on a grape) plus it is extremely versatile in food and wine pairing. There are drier Rieslings for people who prefer bonedry and minerally wines, and for those who prefer their Rieslings riper, there are wines made from grapes that are harvested later to retain sugar. These sweeter late-harvest wines also provide beautiful minerality and acidity, but tend to be lower in alcohol and taste of more stone fruit, flowers, and even petrol aromatics. My favourite Riesling My recommendation for anyone in the West Hollywood House looking to find a great example of a well balanced and terroir-driven 22 HOUSE TONIC
Riesling, would be our S.A. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett from the MoselSaar-Ruwer in Germany (better known as the Mosel). This is one of the most famous wine regions in the world. This particular “Anbaugebiete” (region) is world famous for its steep slopes and unique soil of grey, red, and blue devonian slate. The slippery flat rocks sit on some of the steepest slopes in the world, making mechanical harvesting impossible, especially in the Lower Mosel. (Since Riesling grapes need to be harvested depending on the grape’s ripeness, hand-harvesting is a necessity anyway.) With even the slightest bit of rainfall, the slate will slide down the slopes only to be picked up, thrown in buckets, and carried back up and returned to the base of the vines. The climate is quite cold in the MoselSaar-Ruwer which over time has meant winemakers mostly plant their vineyards facing south, so as to receive as much sunshine as possible. The Moselle River also helps ripen the grapes, reflecting sunlight on to the vines. The slate soil helps retain the heat and distributes it to the vines at night when temperatures drop. This particular Riesling gets its grapes from “Wehlehner Sonnonuhr” which is one of the Sundial Vineyards located in the Mittelmosel. In combination with the unique soil, steep slopes, and adequate sunshine, these vineyards are capable of producing some of
the best Rieslings in the world and they tend to be slightly richer with more pronounced flavours, yet still clean and focused, a Mosel trademark. Other great Rieslings around the world There are some other areas in the world that produce exceptional Rieslings and a handful of producers that will provide you with a unique and terroir-driven experience: Jim Barry of Clare Valley, Australia; ZindHumbrecht of Alsace, France; and Scribe Winery of Sonoma, California. Northern Italy also makes some outstanding Rieslings, keep an eye out for the unique blends of AltoAdige/Sudtirol and from Kremstal, Austria check out Nigl. How to read a Riesling label Some helpful label-reading tips for shopping for Riesling: If you prefer a drier style, I’d stick to Alsace where Rieslings tend to be drier and higher in alcohol in comparison to their German counterparts. Make sure the label does not say “Vendage Tardive” which translates as “late harvest” and means the grapes are picked with more sugar as they are left on the vine for longer. If you’d like to stay in Germany, find bottles that say “Trocken” which means “dry”. For those who like their Rieslings riper or sweeter,
WINE
“Riesling is an exceptional example of the effect of terroir, plus it is extremely versatile with food pairing”
I’d start your search in Germany. You can start with a Kabinett and assess from there if you’d like to move up in sweetness or if you’d like to pull on the reins. Kabinett just means the grapes were harvested at their normal time, so less sugar accumulates in the grape. If you prefer sweeter, with a more honey-like texture, almost like the silky juice you’d find in a jar of canned peaches, then move on to the Spatlesen and Auslesen styles which are both considered “late harvest”. Auslesen means “select harvest” and they are left on the vine longer than Spatlesen. For the dessert wine experience, go straight for the Beerenauslesen (BA), Eisweins and Trockenbeerenauslesen (TBA).
These wines, however, are far more expensive and difficult to get your hands on. They are made from a select amount of grapes that are able to remain on the vine for as long as the climatic conditions will allow. BAs and TBAs are also dependent on Botrytis Cinerea, a fungal mold that penetrates the skins of the grapes while they’re still on the vine. It dehydrates and raisins the grapes while simultaneously concentrating the sugars and acids. These dessert wines contain flavours, textures, and aromatics that will surprise and mystify even the most avid Riesling drinker. Auslesen Rieslings can also be great dessert wines as some producers include botrytis-infected grapes in the blend.
The moral of the story This is just the tip of the Riesling iceberg. Wine in general is a subjective experience, but it couldn’t be more true in the world of Riesling. Someone’s dry Riesling could be another person’s dessert wine. Moral of the story? Give Riesling a chance – there is a Riesling out there for everyone...and it will only enhance your summertime vacations, celebrations, and get-togethers.
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 23
THE BATTLE ROYALE
CONTENDERS READY? IS THE BEST
BEER v. WINE v. LAUREN ‘RAZOR’ SHAW
AUTHENTIC BEAUTIFULLY PRODUCED CRAFT BEER
IS A WINNER
CHRISTOPHER ‘THUNDER’ COOPER
ARE KING
COCKTAILS OLI ‘REAL DEAL’ JUSTE
SHARPNESS OF THE DRINK WITH ITS CAMPARI AND ORANGE
BEER v WINE v COCKTAILS
We asked three of our in-house drinks experts, Lauren Shaw, Christopher Cooper and Oli Juste, to explain why their favourite drink is the winner.
Beer is the Best Lauren Shaw - Floor Manager, Electric Diner My first real introduction to drinking beer was at house parties in my teens, when I was forced to drink them after all the WKDs ran out, and hadn’t yet started to do shots of gin. Up until the past year, I was solely a lager girl (half pint, of course) for summer days and post-work refreshment. A recent trip to the States has changed all that. I drank authentic, beautifully produced craft beer, and it is tasty. Forget the lager for a second, ale is where it’s at – talk about rich, caramel malts with a flash of spicy, fresh hops and a delicate mouthfeel and you will soon have a conversation starter... And please don’t think you will have to guzzle pints of the stuff and ruin your dinner. Go for a third, a new tasting measure, and match a beer to every course. A citrussy wheat beer to start, a rich American brown ale with your main, and round off dessert with a boozy, porter, like Trappiste. Trust me, put down the gin and grapes, and pick up the grain. Plus, you can’t chase tequila with the others.
Wine is a Winner Christopher Cooper - European Sommelier Why do I like wine? There was a time when I was never really into wine and I probably knew as much as anyone else... scratching one’s head in the supermarket or confused when looking at wine lists in restaurants, and I never really thought this crazy drink would consume my life. But then I tasted ‘The Wine’: A wine that to this day I can still remember. It’s not the fact that it tasted of this or that, flowers or tropical fruits or whatever, it was the feeling and the pleasure of such an amazing experience. It was a sexy wine...one that made me jump up and down and shout about how great it is to be alive. These wines are few and far between. But hopefully one day all of us will be able to
taste ‘the one’, stop for a minute, simply consider the simple pleasure of it and savour the moment. That’s why wine is such an amazing, individual, crafted, decadent, diverse, moment-specific, memory-creating, life-changing product – made by dedicated, passionate, talented, artisanal and creative people. I love it, and given the opportunity to taste ‘the one’, you will too.
Cocktails are King Oli Juste - Soho House Head of Learning & Development When you’re French, comme moi, and you go out for dinner with friends, people expect you to choose the wine, and then if you chose a French wine...LA REVOLUTION...you are a chauvinist. You’re damned if you don’t, damned if you do. Also, the only wines I can bear to drink are Sancerre and Medoc; but as my Scottish friend, Soho House’s Chris Tomsett would say: “They can be a wee bit dear”! So I leave my (so-called) friends to choose their own wine, and I stick to my cocktails. (That said, you can find a lovely glass of Sancerre, Daniel Crochet, in Soho House New York for under $15.) Personally, I think there is no better way to start an evening than with a Negroni and a bowl of pasta with a simple tomato sauce, maybe with basil. The sharpness of the drink, with its Campari and orange, and the bittersweetness of the tomatoes, makes it such a great moment. But contrary to the word out there, I don’t only drink Negronis. I drink water too, you know. Also, beer glasses make my hands look small, which is simply not acceptable.
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
AT THE BAR
Grey Goose
BEHIND THE SCENES As the seasons change, Soho House bartenders work with Grey Goose vodka’s team of experts to create a new cocktail, perfectly suited to the season. It never appears on the menu, but is available to those in the know in any of the Houses or Dean Street Townhouse. Bartenders and guests can learn to make their own version by watching the exclusive how-to videos at www.housetonic.com. This issue, we went behind the scenes at the shoot, to see how bartenders can turn into film stars. Photos by Steven Joyce
Le Citron Chamomile Gimlet for the cocktail: 60ml Grey Goose Le Citron 35ml green apple-camomile cordial for the cordial: 400 ml very strong camomile tea (10 teaspoons to one pot) 400g sugar (1:1) 1 ½ Bonzer barspoons citric acid 1 ½ Bonzer barspoons malic acid Make the cordial by dissolving the sugar in the strong camomile tea. Add the citric and malic acids (malic acid comes from green apples). To make the cocktail shake with ice, then double strain into coupette. Garnish with an apple wheel in the glass.
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I
t’s a sunny day on the roof of Shoreditch House and four people are huddled around a coupe glass and gold shaker, primping and prepping a cocktail in order to get a perfect photograph for the back of this magazine, before we move inside to make the Summer 2013 Grey Goose video. (There are worse ways of spending a morning “working”.) Joe McCanta, global ambassador for Grey Goose vodka developed this drink, the Le Citron Chamomile Gimlet, with Tom Kerr, House Tonic’s European ambassador. Jay Newell, bars manager at Soho House, is being trained up to style shoots and make films in the future. Photographer Steven Joyce is on hand to get the shot and House Tonic editor Rebecca Seal is just trying not to get in the way. For Tom and Jay, two of the most senior bar managers in the UK sites, working on shoots and making short films now makes up more and more of their working lives, as well as leading training sessions and trips. Of course, they still make time to get behind their beloved bars and knock out some excellent drinks. But for them, being promoted
within Soho House means getting involved in creative projects that they would never have expected in their earlier bartending days. “It’s been great as well as a massive learning curve,” says Tom. “When the cameras are rolling, everything changes. It’s an art form and I’ve learnt a lot watching Joe McCanta, he’s such a pro. It’s made me more aware of how I word things and how I operate as a bartender. You have to pick your words carefully and sound natural, even though you’re following a script!” It’s a long but fun day – broken in the middle to feed the crew Chicken Shop chicken and Dirty Burgers – and by the end we have two great short films and two lovely photos to show for it. If you’d like to check the videos out go to www.housetonic.com to see how to make the drink or to cook-house.info to see Tom and Shoreditch’s head chef Michele Nargi explaining how to match the Le Citron Chamomile Gimlet with scallop crudo. Don’t forget to you’re at the bar!
order
one
next
time
GREY GOOSE
“Being promoted within Soho House means getting involved in creative projects that they would never have expected in their earlier bartending days”
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
DIGESTIF
THE PLAYLIST This issue, we asked House Tonic editor, drinks writer and TV presenter Rebecca Seal for her tunes to drink to. 01
I Want You Around by Gideon Conn This song is absurdly cheerful and romantic and silly. Part rap, part scat, part daft singing, this is what I want to hear when I’m getting ready to go out, Prosecco in hand.
02
Preying On My Mind by Ellen and The Escapades This was a random vinyl purchase which I liked a lot from the off, but I really fell for Ellen when she played live in a little London pub – she’s got a dusky singing voice and an unexpectedly strong northern accent and dry sense of humour when she speaks. The kind of album to have on in a sunny garden, with a good ale onthe-go, and the grill smoking away.
03
Stompin’ At The Savoy by Benny Goodman Orchestra My copy of this is on an old, warped vinyl album of wonderful swing numbers. This one was written and originally recorded in the 1930s. It’s perfect to have on in the background when you have people round for dinner, taking their coats and handing them a perfectly chilled Martini. The Savoy in the title is the old Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, New York, not the London hotel.
Rebecca Seal
04
Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars I fell in love with this song when I heard it on someone’s car stereo and then with the album it’s from, Barton Hollow, by a modern-country duo (which I swear is better than it sounds). It was slightly tainted for me when I discovered it was on the Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack but hey ho. The kind of thing to listen to when you’ve been left alone after a row, or have had an awful day at work and need to sink an irresponsibly large glass of Primitivo.
05
Keep It All by Lisa Hannigan Lisa Hannigan is a really cool Irish singer-songwriter and this song is just right for the end of the night, when the party is winding down, but you’ve still got it together enough to want to have a little dance. A perfect match for a Picante de la Casa, for when you want to just stay out a little longer.
06
Skinny Love by Bon Iver The whole of this album will forever remind me of a particular beach in Goa, where I listened to it on tinny little speakers, running on double A batteries. Every evening the owner of the hut we stayed in would appear with two tall, cold and very strong gin and tonics, which I can almost taste when I hear this track.
07
We Are Your Friends by Justice and Simian Mobile Disco If there’s one song guaranteed to get me dancing like a fool it’s this, a reminder of late nights at summery festivals, leaping around a big tent and spilling warm beer from plastic cups. Ideally – and now I’m older and slightly more grown up – I’d accompany it with a really good, smoky sipping tequila or mezcal.
The Escapades
Benny Goodman
28 HOUSE TONIC
SHORTS
WORDS OF WISDOM House Tonic Ambassador Myles Donneky explains why floor staff should have a favourite when it comes to drinks. What’s YOUR favourite? I’ve created a training session on favourites that is targeted at all our floor staff. The objective of it is to get waiters thinking more about drinks. When a guest orders a gin and tonic (for example) the waiter will instantly ask ‘Do you have a preference on your gin?’ We want all our waiters to also have a preference on their own gin; what they prefer and why, hence the title. If all of our waiters have their own favourite drink types (coffees, teas, spirits, cocktails, beers and wines) and can justify why, then I’m sure our members are going to be having some much more interesting conversations when they come to our Houses. I think it would be great to see a member ask a waiter about the whisky selection and be answered really confidently about what we offer and what the waiter’s favourite is. With no stumbling or asking the bartender for help! It’s a long process but when you know your favourite spirits and wines you won’t forget them and they won’t change.
WHERE TO DRINK IN CHICAGO Longman and Eagle
Next year sees Soho House open in Chicago, one of the most exciting cities for food and drink in the world right now. If you’re lucky to be passing through, here’s House Tonic’s favourite places for a cheeky tipple. Aviary Here, drinks are treated like dishes and are prepared away from the guest, just as food is in a kitchen – in fact there’s no interaction with bar staff. There’s some full-on molecular gastronomy going on here, and so the drinks are quite extraordinary – which is no surprise given that high-end chef Grant Achatz is behind it. 955 W. Fulton St., Chicago, IL 60607, +1 312-226-0868, www.theaviary.com Sable A great spot for both food and drinks, with the excellent bar headed up by an ex-chef, so you get the best of both worlds. There’s an emphasis on classics and twisted classics, and both kitchen and bar use local ingredients. 505 N State St., Chicago, IL 60654, +1 312-755-9704, www.sablechicago.com Violet Bar A local institution (and one with no signage), helmed by Toby Maloney, formerly of Milk and Honey in New York, serving excellent cocktails and with an equally excellent house rule: “please do not bring anyone to The Violet Hour that you wouldn’t bring to your mother’s house for Sunday dinner”. 1520 N Damen Ave., Chicago, IL 60622, +1 773-252-1500, www.theviolethour.com Longman and Eagle Lauren Shaw spent some time training for the opening of Electric Diner in Chicago: “I loved Longman and Eagle. It’s really a gastropub, and when I went in the evening it was quite rock and roll. They had craft beer, a huge array of bourbons and they introduced me to the idea of flights, three small shots of different bourbons grouped to explore different flavour profiles or distilleries. Tidy.” 2657 N Kedzie Ave., Chicago, IL 60647, +1 773-276-7110, www.longmanandeagle.com
Violet Bar
HOUSE TONIC 29
RISING STARS
Rising Stars
Rinzin Tsering, Soho House New York, nominated by Juan Sevilla Rinzin Tsering is a father, husband, co-captain of the SHNY soccer team and one of the best damn barbacks I have ever had the pleasure of working with. He has been here for nearly a year and a half, and continues to go above and beyond. His dedication to our team is priceless. Rinzin takes a lot of pride in his work and we rely on him to deliver fast, quality service.
Istvan Labadics Pizza East Kentish Town, nominated by Nick Antonopoulos
Kevin Vanlerberghe, Electric, nominated by Sam Kershaw
No task is too hard nor too much trouble for Istvan to complete. He is a humble and hard working chap who aspires to be, and in my mind definitely will be, a brilliant barman. His attitude and ethos is an asset to our bar team. Go Istvan!
If I could I would nominate my whole team since coming to Electric, but aside from Hideyuki Saito (who keeps winning our inter-house competitions), Kevin is a legend. Great ethic, good mind, a management star in the making!
Wojciech Bambynek, High Road House, nominated by Marco Pettorossi
Lovisa Bjornberg, Café Boheme, nominated by Gwyn Jones Lovisa is a rising star in Café Boheme, always ready with a smile and impeccable service. She gets the Soho House ethos naturally and always provides guests with that cheeky grin and delicious cocktails. Hard working and a little spark of energy running through the bar.
Since Wojtek Bambynek started as a barback, he has always fully committed himself to everything has been set. He has a great attitude and his reliability sets himself apart from others, when he is behind the bar there is no need to be worried as you know he is on top everything. Fast, efficient and reliable...He is not a star, he is a superstar.
Thomas Pizzanelli, Dean St Townhouse, nominated by Ben Fitzgerald In the last few months, Thomas has completely owned the breakfast service here at Dean St, which is not a small accomplishment. 30 HOUSE TONIC
I would like to nominate Dave Gerrans, aka The Hat, as my rising star. Since joining us, the Hat has developed on every front, from drink creation to customer care and he’s been a massive support to Lucy and myself. Dave has been promoted to head bartender and I look forward to developing the bar and our lists with him.
Pietro Confetti, Pizza East Shoreditch, nominated by Rory Martin Pietro Confetti started with us about a year ago at Pizza East Shoreditch. As his English was not his strongest point we took him on as a barback. Before I knew it he was cleaning, polishing glasses, stocking up, running drinks and food. There is nothing he can’t or won’t do. Always happy to learn more, now he works on our dispense bar and, I have to say, Flash has nothing on him.
Gabriel Pötschke, Soho House Berlin, nominated by John Kamel Although relatively new, bartender Gabriel has shown great potential and enthusiasm. Always eager to improve and loves working when it’s busy. He can be left alone on dispense and is also great at serving guests. He is dedicated and hardworking and has blended in with the rest of the team with great ease. You can always rely on him.
Dave Gerrans, Babington House, nominated by Antonella Bonetti
Bill Binder, Soho Beach House, nominated by Chad Love I would like to nominate Bill Binder, head bartender of the Club Bar at Soho Beach House. Bill has been here with us since July 2012 and has built a cult following of fans for his unique cocktails and homemade bitters.
Marianna Pinna, Soho House London, nominated by Jay Newell Marianna is nothing short of a superstar. When I started working at Soho House just over a year ago she was a back of house runner. She then showed great interest in getting on to the bars and was very keen to become a barback which I was thrilled with as it’s not the most desirable job in the house, but she knew that there are certain steps to take to progress. She worked as a barback for quite a while and she has always wanted to better herself. She’s now a bartender and often the last one to finish, as even once she’s changed and ready to go home she will roll her sleeves up and help the other guys close their bars. Nothing is too much to ask of Marianna and given a little time she will succeed in all she puts her mind to! She has demonstrated that there are still people out there willing to put the time and effort into bartending and perfecting the art.
PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMIE BEVAN
DO YOU HAVE THE NOSE FOR IT?
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: email housetonic@ sohohouse.com, visit www. housetonic.com or call Gareth Jones on +44 (0) 20 7581 2569. We'd love to hear from you! You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter. HOUSE TONIC 31
LE CITRON CHAMOMILE GIMLET CREATED BY TOM KERR THIS REFRESHING CONTEMPORARY GIMLET WITH NOTES OF CHAMOMILE, GREEN APPLE AND LEMON IS AVAILABLE IN EVERY HOUSE BETWEEN JUNE AND AUGUST – JUST ASK THE BARMAN. TO SEE HOW TO MAKE THIS COCKTAIL GO TO WWW.HOUSETONIC.COM
For the facts drinkaware.co.uk ©2013 GREY GOOSE, THE GREY GOOSE BOTTLE DESIGNS AND THE GEESE DEVICES ARE TRADEMARKS AND/OR REGISTERED TRADEMARKS.
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13/06/2013 11:42