HOUSE
TO N I C Whisky Warmers
Soho House’s Drink Maga zine Issue 12
Grey Goose cocktail competition, p8. 2 HOUSE TONIC
HOUSE TONIC
Editor’s Letter W
elcome to the Winter 2014 issue of house Tonic – a magazine for bartenders and people who love bars.
in this issue, meet our friendly bartender, Juan Sevilla, from Soho house West hollywood, catch up on all the in-house and external competitions our bartenders have competed in, learn about both whisky and sherry – perfect winter drinks – and get the low-down on our first ever Soho house Wine Show. We also have all the drinks news from Soho house around the world. if you'd like to join one of our bar teams around the world, email housetonic@sohohouse.com.
Contents 4 Aperitifs Booze news 8 Aperitifs Grey Goose cocktail competition 10 At The Bar Friendly bartender Juan Sevilla 12 At The Bar In Season: Vanilla
Cheers!
House Tonic covers: Soho Houses New York, Toronto, London, Berlin, West Hollywood and Miami, Shoreditch House, Cafe Boheme, The Electric House and Diner, SKB, High Road House, Pizza Easts Portobello, Kentish Town and Shoreditch, Hoxton Grill, Little House, Dean Street Townhouse, Babington House, Cecconi’s in LA, London and Miami, both Chicken Shops and both Dirty Burgers. Editor: Rebecca Seal Design and Art Direction: Plus Agency Publisher: Dan Flower Thanks to: Sophie Roche-Garland, Caroline Boucher, Phoebe Strawson, Chris Ojeda, Dai Williams, Steven Joyce, Jolina Hoang, Tom Kerr, Marcin Liwarski, Jamie Bevan, Michele Ardu.
13 At The Bar Bombay Sapphire’s Most Imaginative Bartender 14 At The Bar The Wine Show 18 At The Bar Bluffer’s guide to whisk(e)y
Cover image: Steven Joyce; facing page: Michele Ardu
24 At The Bar Best back bar bottles www.housetonic.com
housetonic@sohohouse.com
twitter.com/houseTonic
26 At The Bar All about sherry 28 Digestifs Winter cocktails 29 Digestifs Music to drink to 30 Digestifs Rising Stars of the bars
Grey Goose cocktail competition, p8
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NEWS
Eat Drink Nap Bring a bit of Soho House home with you, buy a copy of our brand new book, Eat Drink Nap. It’s a hardback book with food and drinks recipes from our sites around the world – including lots of cocktails you can make in your own kitchen – plus advice on everything from how to throw a party to how to make a truly comfortable bed. We hope you’ll love it. (Photographer Jean Cazals did much of the food photography featured in the book and is currently showing a beautiful exhibition of chocolate photography, so if you’re in London head to the french art studio, 58 Gloucester Road, London SW7 4QT). The book is available to members in Club receptions or via houseseven.com, £25, and for non-members from February.
Rum for Beginners It was Dark and Stormy rum cocktails all-round at Thom Solberg’s rum training session for House Tonic in London. In the session he covered everything from what rum is and how it’s made, to all the different specifications and varieties. There was plenty of tasting, plus insights into the history and flavours of classic rum cocktails, and the well-attended session was an excellent kick-off to a whole month of rum activities – it was followed by Rumfest and then Rum Master! We’re all rum converts now... 4 HOUSE TONIC
NEWS
Bartender Olympics Recently promoted bartender of Soho House Berlin, Saele Valese, entered Berlin’s Hendricks Bartender Olympics this September, and stole the show by winning the competition. House Tonic would like to congratulate Saele for doing such a fantastic job! Well done! You did us proud!
Grey Goose Seasonal Cocktail For those in the know, the Grey Goose vodka seasonal cocktail is always available in the UK Houses. Right now it’s a deliciously spiced cocktail, perfect for the cold weather.
Winter Fix
Tormaresca Dinner Eight managers joined Soho House sommelier Christopher Cooper and representatives of Tormaresca Winery for dinner at Pizza East Kentish Town where they enjoyed a sample of Tormaresca’s new range. Each of the three courses of antipasti, pork belly and pudding were accompanied by a delicious wine.
35ml / 1 1/4 oz Grey Goose Le Citron 20ml / 3/4 oz lemon juice 12ml / 1/3 oz Maraschino liqueur 10ml / 1/3 oz cinnamon syrup Shake all ingredients and double strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a stick of cinnamon which has one end toasted, and a lemon zest.
Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 5
APERITIFS
Kevin Spacey - Edinburgh Soho House returned to Edinburgh to co-host a party with Kevin Spacey, following his keynote speech at the Edinburgh International Television festival. Attending TV execs and industry members included John Bishop, Mary Portas, Alan Yentob, Richard Bacon and Sarah Hadland. Pizza East’s Rory Martin and his bar team worked with Oli Blackburn from Grey Goose to deliver delicious Scottish-themed cocktails including the Scottish Mule and Soho House Sling. Music was by DJs Emma and Charlotte and late-night take-out courtesy of Vauxhall’s new Dirty Burger.
Berlin’s Job Swap Soho House Berlin’s bar and kitchen teams have challenged each other to see if they can handle the hard work in each other’s worlds. Bar manager John Kamel says, “It was fun! And educational at the same time. Our star bartender Juanita got stuck into the salad section and our breakfast chef Slavo shook up some amazing cocktails!”
Bar Convent This October a group of our bartenders from Soho House Berlin attended the Bar Convent Berlin, an annual European bar and beverage trade show which attracts the brightest and the best from the industry all over Europe. There were a vast array of stands with different spirit brands as well as the latest products and some fascinating bar equipment. Our team had the pleasure of tasting a selection of both local and imported spirits. Unsurprisingly, they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. 6 HOUSE TONIC
APERITIFS
Berlin’s In-House Comp Saele Valese also triumphed in Berlin’s own cocktail competition, says John Kamel. “After trying many delicious drinks and with a generally very high standard of cocktails, Saele Valese came out on top with 2 winning cocktails.” Try your hand at his two drinks:
Pink Girvan 50ml / 1 3/4oz Hendricks Gin 10ml / 1/3oz rose syrup 10ml / 1/3oz elderflower syrup 20ml / 3/4oz lemon juice Serve in a rocks glass, garnished with cucumber slice.
First Love 40ml / 1 1/4oz Wild Turkey 20ml/ 3/4oz Antica Formula 1 bar spoon Angostura bitters
A Trip to Meet Dom P
Serve in a rocks glass, garnished with orange peel.
“How do you fancy going to Dom Perignon next week?” I was asked by Bibendum wine merchants (Writes sommelier Christopher Cooper). “Oh and bring a couple of fun people too…” So the House Tonic team got cracking on arranging my assistants for a tasting tour, and what a pair they were: Marco Coderoni from Cecconi’s Mayfair and Victoria Soulsby from Dean Street Townhouse. After a 5am start, and some DP on the train, we arrived in Paris and had lunch at a proper French bistro, Then, after another train journey and another bottle of DP (sigh), we arrived in Reims. The team was amazing and our hosts, complete with Champenoise enthusiasm and perfect English, waxed lyrical about what goes into making these grapes so revered. We were in one of the 800 or so Moet et Chandon vineyards dotted all around the Champagne region, where they source, vinify and carefully blend, all to ensure that a consistent personality is achieved every time they release one of their legendary vintages. After paying our respects to the man Dom Perignon himself at the Abbey we hot-footed it to an original part of the Monkery (or is it a Monastery?) for a tasting. We took our seats with reverence, in front of an array of empty glasses. We were in awe of what was to be poured into them and were not disappointed. We tasted the 2004, 2003, 2002, 1996 Oenotheque (their back vintage release collection), 1995 Oenotheque, 2003 Rosé, 1993 Rosé Oenotheque, 1982 Oenotheque and finished on the 1970 Oenotheque. Suddenly, we were all connoisseurs, arguing the merits of the 2002 over the 1995 Oenotheque. With our bellies full of fizz and our shoes full of feet we argued and meandered back to the waiting coach to fast forward for dinner at Chateau de Saran. Dressed in our ties and our fanciest attire we dined and tasted more editions of luscious DP… truly decadent! After quaffing enough DP and rich French food to debilitate even the staunchest aristocrat, we retired to the games room for Hennessy XO and cigars. The morning was foggy in Champagne, a lot like our heads. We were off to visit the equally regal Maison Moet et Chandon in Reims. Our host was the esteemed PierreLouis Araud who began our tour by explaining the history of Champagne over a glass of vintage Moet et Chandon 2003. With our brains refizzed and our Champagne history up to date, we set off on our expedition through tunnels and chalky cellars below the bustling streets of Reims. Our tour was followed by lunch at the Residence de Trianon where again the food was amazing and we sampled the Moet Champagne range. Almost fizzled out, we departed to reflect on the sheer decadence and luxury of our last 48 hours. On the train home we totted up the bar tab for the entire weekend. It would have made a Russian oligarch gasp at the bill. Thank you Moet Hennessy, thank you Bibendum and thank you the legend that was Dom Pierre Perignon, for his masterful creation.
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 7
APERITIFS
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Oli Blackburn and Jay Newell Michal Buben 60/15 cocktail Runners up celebrating Grey Goose The winning cocktail Andras Szavko Simone de Luca
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Grey Goose
Cocktail Competition Featuring blow torches, fresh quince, tailor-made background music, incense and even a cake stand and sandwiches, the latest House Tonic cocktail competition, with Grey Goose vodka, was a real treat. Photographs by Michele Ardu
T
he judges and a crowd of supporters gathered in the basement at High Road House in Chiswick (at least, we think they were supporters – they may have just come for the Grey Goose Les Fizzes served to everyone attending...) on a cold and wintry night. The 10 competitors had already competed against the bar teams at their home sites, so the judges knew they were in for some special drinks. House Tonic manager Sophie RocheGarland was joined on the judging panel by Grey Goose brand ambassador Oli Blackburn, House Tonic editor Rebecca Seal, and Jay Newell, House Tonic ambassador. Soho House drinks competitions are never short on innovation and this was no exception: Jacek Wojdylo from SKB made his drink, Teatime, with a touch of his mother’s home-made jam and matched it with an afternoon tea-style selection of cakes, while Flavio Wijesinghe from Hoxton Grill had cake and jam made to his mum’s recipes. Murat Celik from Soho House London came with his
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own ginger shrub and garnished his cocktail, Bonfire, with a tiny meringue. Damian Szyjduk ticked all the seasonal boxes by including spiced pumpkin in his cocktail, Soleil de Novembre, plus showed off some excellent product knowledge. The drinks served up were very varied too, from the Negroni-style cocktail by Mark Foynes at Little House (who cleverly pre-measured his ingredients – so much better for avoiding jigger shake due to nervous hands) to Simone Cossu’s Grey Goose and fig Champagne cocktail and Adam Jonas’ quince and salted maple air concoction, Kiss Me Baby. As ever there could only be one winner and it just had to be Simone de Luca from High Road House, who impressed Oli with his knowledge of Grey Goose and the vodka category as a whole – plus, he got extra points for garnishing his drink with a sprig of Picardie wheat, the same wheat as is used in Grey Goose vodka. Second Place went to Andras Szavko, who successfully
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mashed up a French 75 and an Aviation, serving it up in a vintage box adorned with the French flag. Michal Buben took third with his Bohemian, a smart blend of grapefruit, absinthe, lime, Grey Goose vodka and yellow chartreuse. They all got some gorgeous Grey Goose goodies to take home. Congratulations to everyone who took part. Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com
COCKTAIL COMPETITION
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1st Place Simone de Luca high road house
2nd Place andras Szavko Shoreditch house
3rd Place Michal Buben Pizza east Shoreditch
Les Nuages de Picardie
60/15
Bohemian
60ml / 2oz grey goose vodka 30ml / 1oz Dubonnet rouge 10ml / 1/3oz Mandarine napoleon 3ml / drop pimento bitters foam to top
35ml / 1oz grey goose vodka 15ml / 1/2oz fresh lemon juice 7ml / 1/4oz orgeat syrup 3ml / drop violet liqueur 15ml / 1/2oz Champagne
Make foam in syphon with 150ml / 4oz apricot Briottet, 25ml / 3/4oz lime juice, 4 egg whites. Mix other ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Pour foam into serving glass, then gently pour the cocktail mixture through foam. Foam will sit on top. Serve with a piece of smoking cinnamon balanced on glass.
Shake and double strain. Serve up in a crystal-cut coupette glass. garnish with a cherry.
50ml / 1 3/4oz grey goose vodka 15ml / 1/2oz yellow Chartreuse 15ml / 1/2oz lime juice 1 spoon sugar 30ml / 1oz grapefruit juice 25ml / 3/4oz egg white 10ml / 1/3oz absinthe 1 dash Wormwood bitters 1 dash grapefruit bitters Shake and double strain. Serve in a small wine glass.
HOUSE TONIC 9
AT THE BAR
Your Friendly Bartender Juan Sevilla Bars Manager, Soho House West Hollywood Portrait by Creel Films
W
hen I was 17, I made my mother sign the papers to let me join the military. I spent four years in the armed forces before going to UCLA (which the military paid for). I was the first generation in my family to go to college. Afterwards, I decided I wanted to try the bar scene out. I walked into a barback job – and of course I lied to get it, since I’d never worked in a bar. It was at the Edison in Downtown Los Angeles, which is a beautifully designed bar, and a real pleasure to be in. I worked there for three years and the look of that place just never got old. The first night though, I was just washing glasses for hours and about halfway through I remember thinking, “I’m not going to make it. I’m going to walk out of here and never see these people again”. But for some reason, giving it a shot made sense to me and so I stuck it out and became a regular barback. I wanted to become a bartender but it wasn’t a great environment to do so, because it wasn’t the thing there, to train up barbacks to be bartenders. But you know, I’ve always thought, if you don’t like how things are run, work hard and become the boss. One evening they were suddenly short three bartenders. So I said, “You know...I know all the drinks”. Because, if you work in a place long enough, you know how to do everything. They tested me out and saw that I was telling the truth, and after that night, they decided to promote one of us barbacks to bartender for the first time. It was between me and another guy, but we studied together, and in the end, they promoted both of us. Fast-forward a couple of years and the cocktail culture really hit us, meaning we got new managers and training from bar consultants. We learnt so much about products, recipes and history. I thought I knew great cocktails before, but this showed me how much more there was to learn. Eventually I was made head bartender and I loved it. 10 HOUSE TONIC
Then I got a call from Chris Ojeda (now Soho House’s creative bar director), who was setting up the bar at Soho House West Hollywood and who’d worked at the Edison with me. He wanted me to help train up his team to make high volume classic cocktails, which was really my niche. (The guy who replaced me when I left the Edison was the barback I’d been promoted with.) The job turned out to be a brilliant challenge – I’d never served food before, never worked in a restaurant setting and because there were so many staff and it was a European company too, it was like a different world. After a while I got hungry to do something by myself, and three years ago I ended up leaving the company for a bit to set a bar in Los Feliz, which is still there now. It involved work that I had no idea how to do, setting up a bar from scratch and it was stressful and scary, but I think I did a good job. A lot of the original team are still there, and some of the guys we hired as barbacks are bartenders now. Soon after, I bumped into Chris again and he asked me to come to Soho House New York. It meant leaving my bar – my baby! - but also that I would get to work in New York, the cocktail mecca of the world. I loved working in New York, and I’m proud that this summer, instead of hiring extra bartenders to work in the bars that we open outside, we promoted some barbacks instead. Now, I’m back in Los Angeles at Soho House West Hollywood, so it’s all come full circle. My mother passed away when I was a barback. From her, I learned that if you don’t know how to do something, learn how to do it and quickly, and always work harder than the guy next to you. It’s all about hard work, and I don’t know any other way. Want to join one of our bar teams around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or see www.housetonic.com
FRIENDLY BARTENDER
“The job turned out to be a brilliant challenge – I’d never served food before, never worked in a restaurant setting”
HOUSE TONIC 11
VANILLA
What’s in season
...VaniLLa Vanilla is a wonderful ingredient for making drinks, especially at this time of year.
V
anilla is the dried seed pod of a type of climbing orchid and by the time it reaches our bars or kitchens looks like a darkly coloured twig. in fact, it’s a pretty nondescript looking thing, considering the intense flavour it contains. Much of the world’s vanilla grows in indonesia and Madagascar and its surrounding islands, which is the type we are most familiar with, while much rarer vanilla grows in Tahiti (with cherry and anise notes) and Mexico (much spicier). When buying vanilla look for the darkest pods, and if you can, test to see if they have some flexibility left in them – vanilla pods shouldn’t be brittle or easily snap-able. The surface should be tightly wrinkled, but also have an oily sheen. You can also buy good quality pastes and extracts. Vanilla essence, however, is made with vanillin, and is a synthesised version of the true vanilla flavour. Vanilla orchids first grew in Mesoamerica (part of Central america) and were locally 12 HOUSE TONIC
cultivated by the Totonac people on what is now the east coast of Mexico. it wasn’t until after the Spanish colonised the region in the 1500s that vanilla was introduced to europe. it took ages to figure out how to grow it outside Central america, since europe isn’t home to the insects that naturally pollinate vanilla flowers. even importing little black mountain bees from Mexico didn’t do the trick. Three hundred years after europe fell in love with the taste, a 12-year-old slave on the Frenchheld island of reunion in the indian ocean, discovered that vanilla could be hand pollinated, a technique that is still used today. even now, growers have to be hawkeyed in order to spot a vanilla flower: one flower produces one fruit, and a flower only lasts about a day. if the fruit (the vanilla pod) isn’t caught in time, it will ripen and burst, discarding its cargo of flavour. Because it’s so hard to farm, it’s the second most expensive spice in the world, after the even more labourintensive saffron. a simple way to get vanilla notes into drinks is to make vanilla syrup or infuse sugar with vanilla, or add vanilla to alcohol to infuse spirits directly. Vanilla is perfect partner for: apple, anise, apricot, banana, bay leaf, blackberry, blueberry, cardamom, cherry, chestnut, chocolate, clove, coconut, coffee, egg, fig, ginger, hazelnut, nutmeg, orange, peach, peanut, pineapple, raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry and walnuts. Tuck in. Want to join one of our bar teams around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse. com or see www.housetonic.com
Soho house’s uS sites have been focusing on vanilla as a cocktail ingredient with a series of cocktail competitions with it as the key flavour. Congratulations to James Bowers of Soho house West hollywood and Charles Caldwell of Soho house new York. here are their winning recipes. James Bowers
Nieve 15ml / 1/2oz averna 15ml / 1/2oz cream 10ml / 1/4oz vanillla extract 10ml / 1/4oz simple syrup 3 dashes of orange bitters 50ml / 1 1/2oz tequila blanco Build in cheater tin. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Charles Caldwell
Cognac Tonic 60ml / 2oz Dusse (infused with chai tea) 25ml / 3/4oz Licor 43 (vanilla) 90ml / 3oz tonic water Build in highball glass, stir over rocks and garnish with an orange slice.
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE
The crowd the competitors had to impress in Las Vegas.
Bombay Sapphire gin.
gQ, BoMBaY SaPPhire anD Soho houSe Bombay Sapphire gin and GQ are on a mission to find the most imaginative bartenders in the USA.
Guava 40ml / 1 1/2oz Bombay Sapphire gin 30ml / 1oz guava syrup, infused with tarragon and oregano 15ml / 1/2oz lemon juice 15ml / 1/2oz Stone’s ginger wine 2 dashes angostura bitters Pilsner float all the ingredients are shaken, except the lager, and double strained. The lager is added to top.
k
udos to noel Salmon from Soho house West hollywood, who beat his Soho house uS colleagues and made it to the final of the Bombay Sapphire Most imaginative Bartender competition. Competitors came together from bars in 37 cities across america, after bespoke in-house training and regional heats held by Bombay Sapphire. The idea was to create novel and delicious drinks, using approachable recipes, with all the regional finalists getting a name check in gQ’s Man of the Year special issue, plus a place in the 2014 global final. all in all, it’s a pretty big deal. noel performed brilliantly in the competition. unfortunately he didn’t win, but everyone can try his fantastic and super-tasty cocktail. nice work noel.
The Bombay Sapphire team in Las Vegas.
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 13
AT THE BAR
The Wine Show Every wine supplier wants to show Soho House sommelier Christopher Cooper their wines – but it’s not just him that needs to know about wine, it’s everybody who serves them. So House Tonic decided to put on the first ever Soho House Wine Show. Here, he explains more. By Christopher Cooper
Photographs by Dai Williams
F
ollowing the amazing success of the Soho House Bar Show and more recently the Food Show, we began planning another big event and in October 2013 Shoreditch House hosted the Soho House Wine Show. I invited all Soho House UK’s major wine suppliers to attend the two-day event to show off a selection of their wines...boy, did they bring out the big guns, with over 250 wines on show. The day started at 9am with all the wine suppliers arriving and the madness of putting it all together. With coffees and croissants flowing, the Secret Garden on the roof at Shoreditch House began to resemble the biggest wine-tasting Soho House has ever seen… a mini London Wine Fair if you like? Rather than being a dreary and sterile classic wine tasting with posturing wine buffs and spitty old duffers, we selected dream teams from bars and front-of-house in all the UK restaurants and clubs to come and visit. At 14 HOUSE TONIC
11.30am the doors opened and over 100 people of all levels and wine experience arrived for each of the two days of tasting. The schedule was fast-paced and the tasting was busy and educational. I took to the mic and introduced the attendees to the show and explained how the day was running for them. Armed with a tasting glass and a thirst for knowledge they foraged through the banquet laid out before them. First stop for many was a glass of fizz. This was ably provided by Maison Marques et Domaines in the form of Louis Roederer Champagne and a selection of their wine portfolio, with highlights from Marques de Murrieta and Pio Cesare. Next stop was Enotria, who provide much of the Italian wine on our lists. However they focused their tasting selection on classical French wines and bottles from Tuscany with a Riesling from Trimbach being a particular hit among the staff. Eurowines focused on unusual Italian wines, Venus looked at affordable classics and
Fuller’s showcased high-quality, everyday wine and of course, an amazing selection of Champagne Collet. Before everybody got too carried away it was time for a live-tasting demonstration, and I got back on the mic to introduce Mark Bingley of Maison Marques et Domaines. Mr Bingley wowed the staff, asking questions and waxing lyrical on Champagne and why it’s a kick-arse drink as well as an affordable luxury. After his sparkling presentation it was back to the tasting and the attendees were drawn to Liberty wines, who were conveniently next to The Chef’s Deli stand. Liz Lowe from Liberty beamed as she poured tastings of her great wines under screwcap. The staff were pairing Liberty’s selection from the south of Italy with an amazing selection of charcuterie from next door. Ben Milne from The Chef’s Deli was on hand serving up amazing In Fosa cheese with truffle honey and carving Cinta Senese prosciutto from Siena, plus rich cured meats
The Wine Show
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HOUSE TONIC 15
AT THE BAR
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Cheers! The team get involved Special T-shirts for the event Wines to taste Treats from the Chef’s Deli Tutored tasting
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The timetable Wine flowing freely The roof garden at Shoreditch Christopher Cooper, with glasses, introduces his speakers
THE WINE SHOW
“Rather than being a dreary classic wine tasting with posturing wine buffs, we selected dream teams from bars and front-ofhouse in all the UK restaurants and clubs to come and visit”
like duck speck and lardo, 18-month cave- rite of the Soho House Group, Gavi di Gavi, aged Tuscan pecorino with damsons pre- and a notorious Tignanello from Antinori in served in wine and syrup, lamb speck with Tuscany. John Armit showcased their autumRobiola Freschella and fig balsamic, Barolo nal selection including Le Difese (from that carpaccio with cave-ageed pecorino, sea salt other Tuscan powerhouse, Tenuta San Guido and Puglian extra-virgin olive oil. in Bolgheri, makers of the famous Sassicaia). What a perfect way to re-energise! For The final and most enormous stand was those with a sweet tooth there was an enor- provided by Bibendum Wines who not only mous selection of cakes, cheese and desserts focused on modern classics and their amazing on the now legendary Jake’s Bakes table. In- portfolio selection from Iberia but introduced house UK pastry chef Jake Rigby-Wilson and a real highlight of the show amongst the staff, his team kept the troops fully sugar-loaded the Bibendum Taste Test. throughout the day with his salted caramel All you had to do was answer a few questart, sherry trifle and Lancashire cheese with tions and you would be given a score out of proper Eccles cake. What a treat! Everyone gathered back in the demonstration zone to await our next guest speaker, a full-on wine industry character talking up a fairly misunderstood wine… Louis Roederer Champagne sherry. Riesling, Trimbach, Alsace Who better to explain that ‘it’s not Rosa Chiara, La Scolca, Piemonte ‘Le Difese’ Tenuta San Guido, Tuscany just for grannies’ than the gregarious and Tignanello, Antinori, Tuscany larger-than-life Willie Lebus from BibenPink Moscato, Innocent Bystander, Yarra Valley dum, complete with red trousers and his dapper getup. (Though missing his trademark bow tie?! Shame on you Willie!) Sherry is a fantastic drink and really is 15 and a badge to proudly display your tasting not just for your grandmother to sip over character. Whether you had a fresh or a fruity Christmas. It’s a wonderfully versatile drink personality, they had the perfect wine to suit and Willie so passionately pressed it on the your palate, and from this wine, the world of thirsty crowd that they were well and truly wine is your oyster. The Bibendum Taste Test converted. Bring on 2014 and a big year for is the perfect way to introduce wine to the sherry in Soho House. uninitiated palate or any curious consumer. With all that fortified wine the show For example, a score of six out of 15 leads the could have taken a turn for the worse, but taster to the awesome Riesling Kung Fu Girl thankfully we were rescued by the arrival of by Charles Smith from Washington State. Dirty Burgers to line our stomachs. Just enough time before the final testing Berkmann wines were hugely popular demonstration to compete in the blind-tasting as they were showing off an enormous favou- competition and sample the wines paired with
Wine S how Tasting Highlights
Soho House’s spa-brand Cowshed’s moods… yes, that’s right, there is a “knackered wine” and a “horny wine”! Before everyone got overwhelmed and their palates too exhausted, we were up for one final live-tasting demonstration. It had to be exciting enough to keep everyone alert and excited before we released them back into the world, and what a guest we introduced: Tom Harrow is a bit of an industry legend and general all-round great guy (aka the Wine Chap) and he introduced us to his world of “Sexy Wines”. As you can imagine, the crowd was by now pretty lively and needed no encouragement to help create noise for the “woofometer”, which was how we were to judge how sexy these wines really were. The clear winner was the Cowshed’s horny wine pairing in the form of a sparkling Pink Moscato by Innocent Bystander from the Yarra Valley in Australia. It’s lively and refreshing and the perfect palate cleanser after a day of tasting. A huge thanks to all the suppliers for taking part and being so generous, to Jake Rigby-Wilson for his sweet treats, Michal Buben for mixing up cool wine cocktails all day and of course to the House Tonic team for making this all happen. Go forth, and talk confidently about Champagne, enthusiastically about sherry and think sexy wines. We’ll do it all again soon.
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 17
AT THE BAR
Japanese whisky - like the Nikka in this photograph - is now of very high quality. Try it in one of Soho House’s bars.
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WHISK Y
(Almost) everything you ever wanted to
know about whisky but were afraid to ask...
Baffled by bourbon? Scotched by Scotch? Here’s House Tonic’s handy bluffer’s guide to whisk(e)y. By Rebecca Seal
Main photographs by Steven Joyce
HOUSE TONIC 19
AT THE BAR
“Whisky is one of the oldest spirits in the world. There’s good evidence of distillation taking place two millennia ago among the Babylonians, Greeks, Egyptians and Chinese, but back then the science wouldn’t necessarily have resulted in drinkable booze.”
H
ow is whisky made? Water quality is of vital importance to distillers – much as it is for makers of beer or even Japanese sake – and most distillers are built near a clean, pure water source. Once that element is sorted, the next is the type of cereal to be used. Barley creates the most booze, but corn, wheat and rye are also used to achieve particular flavours and textures, or simply because historically it was what was growing handily nearby. Next comes malting. This involves soaking the grains to make them germinate, which unlocks the maltose sugars inside. After a few days, the grains, by now just sprouting, are dried (with smoke or hot air) to stop them either growing further or rotting. The dried grains are ground into a rough flour and grist (the husks) mixture and then mixed with hot water in a mash tun to allow the sugars to dissolve off and escape the grains. Eventually, the wort is left – a sweet water from which all the grainy bits have been strained out. Think of it as a sort of tea. Yeast is introduced to the wort so that it can start fermenting and producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. Between two and three days later, all the original sugar is used up, leaving behind a low-alcohol mix called a wash, which is not unlike beer. Finally, it’s time to transfer everything to the still, usually made with copper because it deals better than other metals can with the less-than-lovely by products of distillation, like sulphuric compounds. Distillation involves boiling off the alcohol and re-condensing it, discarding the first and last sections of the distillation to ensure only the best bits get used. The clear liquid that is left after the various distilling and condensing stages (how
20 HOUSE TONIC
many and what kind depends on what kind of whisky is being made) is diluted until it reaches 60-70% ABV. Last, it’s transferred to wooden casks to age. Whisky doesn’t age in bottle, so how long it has in wood is all important. Once it has aged, the whisky is bottled – perhaps as part of a blend – and may be diluted with water so it’s the correct ABV. Who made it first? That’s a question no one can answer. Whisky is one of the oldest spirits in the world. There’s good evidence of distillation taking place two millennia ago among the Babylonians, Greeks, Egyptians and Chinese, but back then the science wouldn’t necessarily have resulted in drinkable booze. More likely it was refined by the Celts, who may have learned the technique from the Moors. Chances are it first happened in Ireland (but there are quite a few Scots who’d disagree with that) before the knowledge was taken across the water to western Scotland. The word whisky is a corruption of an old Gaelic word, usquebaugh, meaning water of life, which over the years was shortened to whisky. (The use of that phrase to describe spirits is also where aqua vitae and eau-de-vie come from.) In between the 12th to the 16th centuries, whisky-making gathered pace, but so did the rate at which governments wanted to tax it, pushing production into illegality or forcing its makers to leave their home countries and experiment with different grain – like corn in Kentucky. Meanwhile, understanding of how to make good whisky grew as people became more knowledgeable about things like the effect of ageing in wooden barrels and how to refine the spirit during distillation.
Why is it spelt differently in different places? Bit of a tricky one, this. Most of the time, whisky is spelt whisky in Scotland, England, Canada and Japan, but spelt whiskey in Ireland and the USA. To add to the confusion, some distilleries label their product with the opposite spelling, sometimes to denote that they are making whisky in a style more like the countries where that spelling is used, or that their roots lie elsewhere. For instance American brands Maker’s Mark and George Dickel have Scottish forefathers, and so spell it whisky on their bottles. Another theory is that the Irish adopted the E in the late 19th century, in order to differentiate their product with the then inferior whiskies being made in Scotland, when selling it to Americans. Single malt is better than a blend, right? Nope. A lot of time, effort, thought and often about a century of experience goes into making blended whiskies. They can be a lot more versatile and varied than a single malt can ever be (although single malts can be equally sublime). People who reckon they only like single malts haven’t tried enough whiskies. What’s the best kind? Well, now you’ve opened a right old can of worms. Many Scots would claim that their whisky is the best in the world, as would many Irish (and indeed, any distillery owner on the planet will say that theirs is better than the rest). However, excellent whiskies are made in Japan, India, Africa, America, Australia and Canada among other countries. Japan’s Hibiki 21 Year Old blended whisky just won best blend 2013 at the World Whisky Awards, but South African whiskies also featured on the scoreboard this year, while India remains
WHISK Y
Soho House’s whiskys at the bar.
HOUSE TONIC 21
AT THE BAR
Japan’s Yamazaki distillery.
“Gently waft the glass under your nose and sniff delicately. An ISO tasting glass, tulip-shaped whisky glass or copita-style sherry glass will do an excellent job of funnelling the flavours.”
the fifth largest whisky market in the world. It may be impossible to say which is the best whisky out there, but given the breadth and range that now exists, there really is something for every taste. Is there a special way to taste it? As with all spirits, it’s not the best idea to swirl it and then take a huge sniff of the vapours as you would with wine. Whisky, being high in alcohol, is quite volatile, and you can temporarily dull your nose’s ability to pick up flavour if you inhale too fast and hard. Instead, gently waft the glass under your nose and sniff delicately. An ISO tasting glass, tulip-shaped whisky glass or copita-style sherry glass will do an excellent job of funnelling the flavours. Tumblers are nice for leisurely drinking, but not so good for nosing, and balloons or snifters aren’t ideal either. 22 HOUSE TONIC
Ignore anyone who says it’s sacrilege to add water to whisky. In the first place, it’s your drink and if you want to add an umbrella and a cherry to it, that’s up to you (The same goes for ice – chilling whisky flattens out the flavours, but it’s your glass, so do what you like with it.) Second, a drop or two of water opens up most spirits and allows their flavours to dance about, making it much easier to pick them up on the nose and the palate. Third, most whiskies are diluted with water before bottling, and most distillers or blenders would tell you to do it if you were tasting with them. Should I always buy old and pricey whisky? Not necessarily. Old, gnarled and aged whisky can be brilliant, but so can young, zippy, fruity whisky – it all depends on what you like. While it can improve and soften in the cask, given too long or the wrong conditions,
whisky can start to taste downright woody. Do your research before investing in an expensive ancient bottle. I can’t drink whisky during dinner can I? You can, especially if dinner contains seafood – salty prawns, oysters, lightly smoked salmon, or cheeses like parmesan and stilton can all go well. Whisky can be surprisingly good with mild Indian dishes, and whiskies finished in sherry casks or that contain plenty of nutty, sweet, toffee, caramel or fruitcakeflavours can be brilliant with dessert.
Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com
WHISK Y
Yamazaki whisky.
Oban distillery, West Highlands, Scotland.
Seven whiskies to try nikka Whisky, From the Barrel, Japan even though it’s bottled at 51% aBV, this is still an incredibly smooth whisky. it’s a blend of malt whisky and grain whisky, aged separately, blended and then re-casked together. in the mouth there’s caramel, spice and a little vanilla. Lovely stuff, whether mixed or sipped. Oban 14 year Old, Scotland Delicious single malt from the West highlands of Scotland. This marries just enough smokiness with the salty tang of the nearby sea. With a bit of water, it opens up even more. Rittenhouse Rye, kentucky uSa Made in Monangahela style, as whisky was made in old Pennsylvania (meaning it’s relatively sweet and robust), rye whiskey in general and rittenhouse in particular is becoming more and more popular. rye whiskey’s popularity took a tumble when Prohibition ended, as it had been one of the few relatively easily available kinds of booze during those dark years, but now pre-prohibition drinking is so fashionable, it’s back on the bar. This is excellent in a Sazerac, a rye Manhattan, Cobblers and Flips. Monkey Shoulder, Scotland This is a distinctive whisky and great for cocktails. it’s a blend of three single malts from Speyside – glenfiddich, Balvenie and
kininvie – giving it a rich, smooth and well-rounded flavour. The name comes from the nickname given to a kind of repetitive strain injury that men working at William grant used to suffer from, after years of hand-turning malt as it dried. Maker’s 46, kentucky uSa There hadn’t been a new Maker’s Mark blend for some 50 years when this popped up. it’s a mellow drink, like their betterknown bourbon, with spice and marmalade notes, and sweetness without being cloying. as well as ageing in barrels, they drop charred French oak staves into the mix for a few months, which gives it even more vanilla and spices flavour (apparently they tried 45 different wood recipes, before hitting on this one, hence the name). another good option for a Manhattan. The yamazaki 12 year Old, Japan This was the first Japanese whisky to enter the international market back in the 1980s. it’s an award-winning drop, very fruity and luscious, and definitely a different kind of whisky experience. Gentleman Jack, Tennessee uSa Super-premium whiskey from the Jack Daniel’s distillery, which gets charcoal filtered twice – once before ageing and once after. it’s a smooth whiskey to sip, with good and mellow spice, plus complex fruitiness.
HOUSE TONIC 23
AT THE BAR
What’s your favourite
back bar bottle? We asked our bartenders around the world to tell us about the bottle on their back bar that they like to use the most.
Jay Newell, bar manager, Little House Mayfair Fernet Branca, an Italian bitter made in Milan around 150-160 years ago. Perfect for pre- and post-dinner drinking...even during! Tom Kerr, deputy general manager, Shoreditch House For me, it would have to be Velvet Falernum: it is so versatile. It adds sweetness, spice and citrus. John Kamel, bar manager, Soho House Berlin Monkey 47 Gin - This gin has an amazing flavour, is great for cocktails and – unusually – it’s a gin made in Germany. Jamie Lehane, bar manager, Hoxton Grill My back bar favourite is Havana Club 3 Años or Havana 3 as we more commonly refer to it. Relatively young in rum terms it’s certainly a go to when someone orders a Cuba Libre or a generic rum cocktail because of its rich, unashamed heart on its sleeve. Respected but underrated, Havana 3 and I are very good mates. 24 HOUSE TONIC
Chad Love, bar manager, Soho Beach House Miami For me it would have to be vermouth, or more specifically, sweet vermouth. Since vermouth is a main ingredient in so many classic cocktails and has great characteristics for drinking on it’s own, I think that without a doubt, it is a must-have behind any bar. Francesco Lombardi, bar manager, Cafe Boheme Woodford Reser ve. A great bourbon, you can mix it, drink it straight, infuse it. It’s so rich with flavour! Whatever you do with it, you still get its character coming through. Ivo Zarins, Electric House Old Grand-Dad Bourbon. So far it is the best bourbon for me to use and offer in my Old Fashioned. It is something to have on the back bar as an option which always works. The taste takes you on an expectedly pleasant journey. It’s 100 proof, with a buttery and tangy fruit palate. Michele Ardu, head bartender, Pizza East Kentish Town It tastes as bitter as the Italian economy and
is as dazzling red as the passion of an Italian woman. Campari is the master of any aperitif. For me a bar cannot exist without it. James Bowers, head bartender, Soho House West Hollywood Cynar! I like using it as a bitter, it adds a lot of subtle brightness to even a strong boozy cocktail. It also makes a killer Julep. Mark Foynes, bartender, Little House Mayfair My mini bottle of Fernet Branca. I’ve had it for years...ideal for pouring shots! Jeremiah Doherty, head bartender, Cecconi’s West Hollywood George T Stagg, a high proof bourbon from the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Spicy, earthy and delicious. Warms the body and the soul. Chris Ojeda, creative bar director, Soho House USA I always go to Angostura bitters. It provides depth and spice to every cocktail I make. I can use it in dashes or as main spirit as we do with our Angostura Swizzle.
BACK BAR BOTTLE
“ If I don’t have my Angostura bitters bottle right on top of my bar, I feel like I will have the worst night ever. ” Michal Buben, bar super visor, Pizza East Shoreditch For me it is Luxardo Maraschino because it is an unforgettable part of classics like my favourite, the Aviation, plus Hemingway Daiquiris. Alex Cassano, GM, Pizza East Shoreditch It has to be Campari – the key ingredient in several classics and the most mixable aperitif. Quintessentially old school Italian and bitter, very much like myself. Myles Donneky, bars manager, Shoreditch House Uncle Wray. We have a love-hate relationship... (Wray and Nephew.)
Ben Fitzgerald, bar manager, Dean Street Townhouse I couldn’t live without green Chartreuse at the moment, it has such interesting flavours with sweet, herbal and spicy notes. Perfect combo for great cocktails. Erdem Kayalar, bar manager, Soho House London Falernum...Maraschino...yes and yes but I cannot imagine a bar without bitters. If I don’t have my Angostura bitters bottle right on top of my bar (not on the back shelf), I feel like I will have the worst night ever. A couple of dashes make such a big difference.
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
Sherry By Jaimee Anderson, sommelier at Soho House West Hollywood
What is sherry? Sherry is a fortified wine from the Andalucia region of southern Spain. Fortified just means that at some point during the fermentation process, spirit is added to the wine. Usually this is brandy, but with sherry, a gentle mixture of mature wine and grape spirit is added. Where is it from? Within the Andalucia region, three sunny towns create an area that is known as the Sherry Triangle: Puerto de Santa Maria, Jerez, and Sanlucar de Barrameda. Like most famous wine-producing regions, Andalucia is home to a unique terroir made up of three distinct soil types: Albariza, Barros, and Arenas. Albariza, a chalky, limestone-rich soil is the most celebrated and usually produces the best sherries. What’s it made from? There are three white grapes allowed in sherry production: Palomino, Pedro Ximenez, and 26 HOUSE TONIC
Moscatel. The first, Palomino, is the most prized and most often used. It also performs best in Albariza soils. Both Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel should not be ignored, however, as they’re great additions when blending for a sweeter style. Sounds delicious, how is it made? Sherry comes in several different styles, but all of these must be made by either biological or oxidative ageing. In the past, the wines and the barrels they were stored in determined their own destiny; nowadays, skillful producers decide which style the wine will take early on in the process (nature is always ready to throw a curveball, though). It seems to have a lot of names for just one wine? Let’s break this down a bit. The main styles consumers are most familiar with are Manzanilla Fina, Manzanilla Pasada, Manzanilla Olorosa, Fino, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, and Oloroso.
OK, hit me. What are finos? Manzanilla Finas are Fino sherries, the only difference is that they are specifically from Sanlucar de Barameda. Fino and Manzanilla Finas undergo biological ageing. This means that the ageing process is defined by the presence of the Saccharomyces yeast strain (obviously, right?!). This yeast, also (and more easily) known as flor, is a byproduct of the humid wind brought in from the Atlantic. This allows the yeast to create a protective layer over the fermenting wine. This foam-like covering protects the wine from oxidation. Manzanillas are slightly more delicate and elegant than Finos produced in the neighbouring areas because they spend longer under the protection of flor. Fino styles in general are known for their salty-tangy flavours that are often described as olive-pit (stone) and almondlike. You can find subtle melon flavours, as well. Finos should be chilled and consumed shortly after opening. They lack shelf-life and oxidize rather quickly, so make sure your
SHERRY
“Since the final barrel is never tapped, a small portion of the original vintage always remains – so the sherry you are drinking may contain juice from grapes picked decades ago”
finos are fresh! Pair with tapas like white anchovies, olives, seafood, and my favorite, salted marcona almonds. Got it. What’s an amontillado? The next style is amontillado, or as they’re called in Sanlucar de Barrameda, Manzanilla Pasada (are you still with me?). These styles of amontillado began as Finos but during the biological process, the flor began to disappear. The wine then begins to age oxidatively, developing an amber colour, with more weight on the palate and nutty qualities to match. They’re the middleman, if you will, and are extremely versatile in food pairing. enjoy them with lighter tapas or even richer proteins like sausage and cured meats, especially iberian ham. What’s that pricier one all about, Palo Cortado? Palo Cortado is one of the rarest styles of sherry because like amontillados, they lose their flor, yet Palo Cortados are unique because they take on the richness and oxidized qualities of an oloroso (without being one). They’re deeper and richer than an amontillado, and for unexplained reasons – no one really knows why Palo Cortados happen and the wine makers have to let them happen, they can’t force Palo Cortados to come about. and the dark one? What’s that? oloroso is the final style and it differs in that it was always meant to be oxidatively aged. right from its inception, it was never meant to be in contact with flor. olorosos are intentionally oxidized and fortified to a higher alcohol content which purposefully destroys any flor that would have otherwise formed. olorosos are dark and brooding with notes of caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and walnuts. Like other styles, they can be dry or sweet, depending on whether sunned Pedro Ximenez or Moscatel grapes are added to the final wine. Pair olorosos with rich flavours like figs, dates, soy sauce or curry. nutty desserts with chocolate, vanilla, caramel, or coconut can be spot on.
Ok. So I know everything there is to know about sherry now, right? That’s just the tip of the sherry iceberg. There are also sweeter style sherries produced, the most popular being cream sherries. These are amontillados or olorosos blended with Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel. Both grapes are naturally high in sugar, but especially when they’re left out in the sun to dehydrate. This concentrates the sugars in the grape. You can find PX as a single varietal wine: these are ultra sweet, syrup-like wines that are incredibly high in sugar. Pour these wines over ice cream and your night is made. Why do they stack up the barrels on top of each other? Besides the different styles, sherry is also famous for a method of blending called the Solera System. This is a fractional blending system of casks that holds wines of varying ages. imagine a pyramid where rows of barrels are stacked on top of each other. each row is from a particular vintage where the top rows are the youngest and the bottom rows are the oldest. each year, a portion of wine is drawn from the bottom barrels, leaving some in the barrel, but creating head space for a little more sherry at the top. The wine that is removed is bottled, and the space is filled with wine from the level above, and those barrels will be filled with the level above them, and so on, until we reach the top row of barrels that will be topped off with wines from the latest vintage. So what’s the point of this? Besides tradition, blending a younger wine into an older wine results in a consistent house style where youthful wines provide freshness and older wines contribute complexity and depth. The most interesting thing about the Solera System, i think, is the fact that there’s always a trace amount of the first vintage used. Since the final barrel is never tapped, a small portion of the original vintage always remains – so the sherry you are drinking may contain juice from grapes picked decades ago.
Christopher Cooper’s sherry crib sheet Sherry – name of the wine but actually the name of the region and a bastardisation of the port town Jerez (or Xerez) in southern Spain Bodega – is the name of a winery, wine warehouse or wine cellar in Spain (like chateau in France, cantina in italy or quinta in Portugal) Fortification – happens after the wine has been made to a regular alcohol level where a destilato (or white grape spirit) is added to raise the alcohol to around 18-20% Flor – is the yeast that is propagated on the surface of the sherry wine as it rests in barrels; it defines sherry’s intense and unique flavour Solera – piled up collection of ageing sherry barrels with flor inside, the new wine is added into the top barrels and it progresses down, where after a time the finished sherry is taken from the bottom barrels for bottling Palomino – is the name of the most predominant grape used in making dry and off-dry sherry styles. it’s not really planted anywhere other than in Jerez Fino – refers to the style of the sherry and is the lightest and driest of the sherry denominations, which has had complete flor coverage and no oxygen maturation Manzanilla – is similar to Fino and is still a pretty dry sherry though much more fruity and spicy on the finish amontillado – generally is much more fruity and complex, and is often aged for longer so is darker and more nutty. Can be dry or off-dry in flavour Oloroso – has been aged for longer with oxygen so as to become bolder and richer in flavour and are often sold as sweeter styles such as oloroso Dulce and Cream Sherry PX – is the shortened name for the Pedro Ximenez grape which is picked and dried to become more intense and sweeter. These grapes are made into the richest and sweetest dessert wines from Sherry and Montilla
HOUSE TONIC 27
DIGESTIFS
Winter Cocktails Delicious seasonal drinks to warm your cockles while it’s cold outside. Photographs by Dai Williams
East End Orchard
Angostura Swizzle
50ml / 1 3/4oz Grey Goose La Poire 75ml / 2 1/2oz fresh pear juice 25ml / 3/4oz lemon juice 20ml / 3/4oz simple syrup 15ml / 1/2oz Graham’s 6 Grapes port
“This is Bacardi Carta Blanca swizzled with lemon, almond and a dram of Angostura bitters,” says Soho House’s creative bar director, Chris Ojeda.
Soho House West Hollywood
Shoreditch House
20ml / 3/4oz lemon 20ml / 3/4oz orgeat 15ml / 1/2oz Angostura bitters 45ml / 1 1/2oz Bacardi Silver
Shake and serve long in a crystal highball. Garnish with a lemon wedge, mint sprig and flamed cinnamon powder on top.
Build the drink in a Collins glass. Swizzle with crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprig and shaved nutmeg.
London Chai Babington House
“This drink was created by one of my bartenders, Matt Warder,” says Babington House’s head bartender Dave Gerrans. “It’s a great twist on a G&T and one of those rare long winter drinks you come across. The spice from the chai syrup really helps the gin cut through the quinine, and the orange and anise you get from Peychaud’s bitters reminds me of the aromatic scents of mulled wine. You could definitely smash back a few of these on Christmas day… 50ml / 1 3/4oz Bombay Original London dry gin 25ml / 3/4oz chai (tea) syrup 5 dashes Peychaud’s bitters tonic water orange wedge To make the chai syrup combine equal parts of strong chai tea and caster sugar. Shake together the first three ingredients and strain into a highball filled with ice. Top with tonic water and garnish with an orange wedge. 28 HOUSE TONIC
Earled Fashioned.
Little House Eggnog Little House
Earled Fashioned Pizza East Portobello
“This is a delicious wintery drink”, says bartender Freddie Fallon. 12.5ml / 1/2oz Earl Grey syrup 50ml / 1 3/4oz Woodford Reserve 2 dashes orange bitters 1 orange horseneck (a big orange twist) In a rocks glass, build all ingredients. Add cubed ice and stir until chilled. Garnish with the orange horseneck. (To make the syrup: mix equal parts brown sugar and boiling water, 1:1, then add 4 earl grey tea bags and the juice and zest from 1 orange. Cook down over a low heat for 10 minutes, then strain.)
“This was adapted from a recipe in How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivants Companion, published in 1862, by bartender Mark Foynes,” explains Little House bar manager Jay Newell. 45ml / 1 1/2oz Bacardi 8yr 45ml / 1 1/2oz PX sherry 100ml / 3 1/2oz milk 40ml / 1 1/4oz sugar syrup (1:1) one whole egg 3-4 bar spoons cane sugar 2 dashes chocolate bitters 2 dashes Angostura bitters Whisk thoroughly together. Pour over a cracked ice block in a half pint mug. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
THE PLAYLIST
THE Playlist Every issue, we ask one of the team to give us their playlist of music to drink to. This time it’s the turn of Mike Ellis from Café Boheme
In this industry, we give 110% of everything, all the time. That’s why I make the most of my time off. It helps you refresh and refocus. Whether it has been a full blown vacation, a long weekend or just a short trip on my days off, I’ve covered a lot of mileage over the past 12 months. I often head off on my own and spend the majority of my time with my headphones on, relaxed, with a drink of some sort in my hand.
airport, I introduced the rest of the party to the delights of the Negroni, resulting in a very, very enjoyable trip – the highlight (other than the rugby, beautiful hotel, great company, delicious food and wine of course) was gate-crashing a Mumford & Sons gig. We arrived just as this track started, fuelled by copious Negronis. It was an epic day, one of the best of the year.
I booked a flight and headed off with a friend to sample the delights of Corsican hospitality. One day we borrowed a car and drove a few hours to the south of the island. The only CD in the car was the new Daft Punk album so we played it on repeat, for hours and hours. Everywhere we went we were hearing tracks from the album. Everywhere we went I was also drinking pastis. In particular a drink called ‘Perroquet’ (French for parrot). Pastis with mint syrup and water. It’s pretty simple stuff...but it’s going on the next cocktail menu at Cafe Boheme.
1. Radiohead - No Surprises Spatburgunder I spent the first couple of months of 2013 working at Soho House Berlin. I was lucky enough to stay in-house for a couple of nights and after a heavy night to break me in to the city, I got back and pondered over the choice of vinyl to play on the vintage record player in my room. It was Radiohead’s OK Computer or Primal Scream’s Screamadelica. The latter is one of my favourite albums of all time, but OK Computer seemed to fit the mood so I ran a hot bath and devoured a bottle of German red - Spatburgunder (the German Pinot Noir). It sounded like a bit of a daft name, but it was delicious. A perfect introduction to Germany, German wine and to Berlin. What a team!
3. Elbow - Weather to Fly - fresh young coconut juice This song reminds me very very clearly of sitting on a deserted beach, on a deserted island in the remote Palawan region of the Philippines. I spent four nights on a boat going off the beaten track. One of the crew of our boat, when noticing I was looking pretty rough, climbed a tree and cut me off a coconut. He told me the electrolytes in it would bring me back to normal! It was 6am, the sun was coming up. I took a stagger along the beach with my coconut, took a seat on the sand and watched the sunrise with this track blasting into my ears. I think a combination of the music, the surroundings and the unbelievable taste of fresh coconut juice made me feel better than I’d felt in a long time.
5. Frankie Miller - Caledonia Laphroiag The best thing to do when going home to visit Scotland is to listen to a song about going home to Scotland, written by a Scotsman, when drinking something Scottish. My single malt of choice is Laphroiag (quarter cask preferably) and every time I head up north, I have one (or two, if I’m not running too late) in the departure lounge. The strong peaty smokiness fits the mood perfectly. If only you could get Laphroiag on the plane...descending into the Granite City with one in hand would be ideal...thank God for duty free.
2. Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man - Negroni In March, I was lucky enough to bag a trip to Rome with Peroni to watch Italy v Ireland in the Six Nations rugby. Upon arriving at the
4. Daft Punk - Giorgio by Moroder - Perroquet This summer three great Corsican guys, ex-waiters from Dean Street Townhouse, asked if I fancied visiting them back home.
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 29
RISING STARS
Rising Stars Every issue of House Tonic we like to celebrate some of the unsung heroes of the bars. Meet our rising stars!
Simone de Luca, Nominated by Marco Pettorossi, High Road House Simone is definitely a superstar, his passion puts him on another level. Since he started he kept improving in all fields and when you see him setting up the bar you know he is not an ordinary bartender. The quality of his drinks is outstanding. He is still very young AND he stood out head and shoulders above the rest in the Grey Goose competition – which he won. There should be a Sim-one in every bar.
Andrea Cialone and Roberto Santini Nominated by Erdem Kayalar, Soho House London They are not just hard workers but they also have really positive attitudes to work and their colleagues. They are always cheerful, no matter how stressful the shift is. Both always have a big smile on their faces. Roberto Santini and Andrea Cialone are our rising stars without a doubt. I am so lucky to have them in my team.
Angelo Vozza Nominated by Myles Donneky, Shoreditch House His work ethic is an amazing example to all the barbacks in the team – if a task is worth doing it’s worth doing properly and quickly. He is the very definition of professional and always holds himself strong behind the bar. Well done Angelo, keep it up!
Francis Bueron Nominated by Raizelle Paz, Soho House Toronto Rod Carmo Nominated by Ben Fitzgerald, Dean Street Townhouse Rod Carmo is our rising star. Rod only joined the Townhouse six weeks ago, but he has already taken the breakfast shifts by storm.
This is Francis Bueron, he is one of our barbacks working his way up to be a bartender and he’s been doing an amazing job taking a couple of shifts as a bartender. He always has a smile on his face and is always willing to go the extra mile.
Viviana Vivetti Nominated by John Kamel and Nicolas Vecrigner, Soho House Berlin Our rising star is bartender Viviana Vivetti, always smiling and happy. She brings a lot of experience and professionalism to the team,” says John. “She is a true power woman – always going the extra mile for our guests,” says Nicolas.
Agnes Sipos Nominated by Jamie Lehane, Hoxton Grill Agnes Sipos is a long-term ally, my head bartender and a massive support to me on the burgeoning Hoxton Grill bar.
Michail Kalentis Nominated by Mike Ellis, Cafe Boheme Mantas Joksas Nominated by Tom Kerr, Shoreditch House Mantas has gone from strength to strength and he has become a senior bartender at SDH and a very valuable part of the bar team. Mantas takes everything on board with such a positive attitude and passion for his job which makes him a pleasure to work with. Also he has a killer hairstyle. 30 HOUSE TONIC
Tyler Sedustin Nominated by Chris Ojeda, Soho House West Hollywood Tyler has been with us for two years and started out as a barista. His rise to working as a bartender is due to many things, but has a lot to do with his upbeat personality.
Marin Atanasov, Soho House Berlin Nominated by Soho House sommelier Christopher Cooper
Michail joined us at CB 18 months ago as a barback. Last month he donned the famed black waistcoat for his first shift and is going from strength to strength. Reliable, friendly and hardworking, his future is very bright indeed!
Mine would have to be Marin Atanasov, who not only has a great knowledge of wine but is so passionate and proactive with training and team development. Truly worthy of the Wine Ambassador title.
Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: 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 Sophie Roche-Garland on +44 207 0741449. We'd love to hear from you! You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter. HOUSE TONIC 31
WINTER FIX CREATED BY OLI BLACKBURN THIS WARMING COCKTAIL WITH NOTES OF LEMON, CHERRY AND CINNAMON IS AVAILABLE IN EVERY HOUSE BETWEEN DECEMBER AND FEBRUARY – JUST ASK THE BARMAN. PAIRED WITH SCOTTISH SALMON, BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND QUINOA. TO SEE HOW TO MAKE THIS COCKTAIL GO TO WWW.HOUSETONIC.COM
32 HOUSE TONIC
For the facts drinkaware.co.uk
©2013 GREY GOOSE, THE GREY GOOSE BOTTLE DESIGNS AND THE GEESE DEVICES ARE TRADEMARKS AND/OR REGISTERED TRADEMARKS.