One advantage I have in my career – and believe me, I thank my lucky stars every day for my good fortune in this regard – is that I travel a lot. And when I do travel, I get to visit the greatest bars in the world and spend time picking the brains of the world’s greatest bartenders.
The most recent drink to grace our cocktail list is the result of my travels.
Taking inspiration from many sources, my initial interest in bitter, sour and sweet with a distinctly tropical bent was taken directly from the ever-brilliant Giuseppe Gonzalez and his now-famous Trinidad Sour.
While I, and the rest of the world, was taken by the combination of bitter, herbal, sweet flavors, it never really struck me as a an extensible sort of drink style until I came across Andrew Bohrer’s amaro-based Mai Tai variation called the “Elena’s Virtue”. Now here was a drink with legs, and a hint of what was to come in the world of cocktails, in my humble opinion.
But what New York and Seattle do well, San Francisco often does better, and usually with a lot more Fernet Branca, and that’s the conversation I had with Josh Harris while competing in the Domaine de Canton finals in St. Maarten this spring. And after tasting his simple concoction of ginger liqueur, pineapple and Fernet Branca I knew it was time for me to get my feet wet and try my hand at the herbal tropical sour.
The result has been a smash hit at the bar, as it very much follows in the style of our restaurant bar, a reflection of the crafted European style of cooking that emerges from the kitchen on a nightly basis. In other words, earthy, sour, herbal flavors do very, very well where we work.
Put all of this together, throw in a desire to explore the dusty, neglected bottle of Drambuie, and an early morning racking one’s brain to come up with a drink name (the original intent was Brixton Club) and a star was born:
Kingston Club
1½ oz Drambuie
1½ oz pineapple juice
¾ oz lime juice
1 tsp Fernet Branca
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake ingredients with ice and finish with 1 oz soda water. Strain mix over fresh ice into a chilled collins glass and garnish with an orange twist.
A side project, an experiment or just a simple curiosity that turned into a delicious phenomenon that we're still serving to much delight at our bar, barrel aged cocktails explore the gentle manipulation of a drink's flavors over time. This post details the inspiration, the history and the methods behind my barrel aged cocktails.
My problem with homemade tonic water has always been a flavor profile that was too esoteric for the general audience. This recipe takes some of the positive qualities people have come to understand from commercial tonic water and updated them with fresh ingredients.
Turned off by the glop you find in the grocery store, and unable to endure another long egg and cream whipping session, I set out to build an egg nog recipe from the ground up that retained the character of the orginal formula, was easy to make in a few minutes at home or at the bar, and tasted absolutely delicious. See if you agree with the result.
One question I'm often asked is "Do you have any drink-related book recommendations?" Well, funny you should ask, I've compiled a list of the ten books every professional bartender or home mixologist should own. I keep every one of these close at hand and have read most of them several times. I suggest you do the same.
The problem with living in Oregon is the absence of little wooden shacks by the sea that sell cases of fresh ginger beer stacked on back porches. But with some readily-available ingredients, a recipe I've been revising for several years - and a few free minutes - I can easily transport myself to a little fishing boat on the ocean as I sip a Dark and Stormy made with fresh, house-made ginger beer.
It's always mojito season somewhere, so this advice is timely in your area about half the year. Wether you're making them or simply enjoying them, this advice will help you look like a pro in no time at all.
The flavors of the Richmond Gimlet are imbued with sunshine. Fresh mint mingling with the herbaceousness of gin and the tartness of lime have made this drink a Eugene classic for many years now.
You'll get a lot of snarky advice on this site about how to make a proper drink, but if you ever need to know what not to do, this is the video for you.
Not to be confused with the Spanish wine-and-fruit-based alcoholic beverage sangria, sangrita (meaning "little blood") is a traditional accompaniment to a tequila served completo; a non-alcoholic sipper that cleanses the palate between fiery doses of agave.
The world of booze can be mystifying to people that don't work in bars or around alcohol all the time. I hear a lot of assumptions about the industry I'm in that are - much like 90% of what you hear in bars - completely false. Here are a few you've probably heard yourself.
The traditional garnish for a Pisco Sour is a couple of drops of bitters in the foam, but I've never been particularly impressed with the way these few paltry drops of bitters sat in their little egg-white mattress and didn't play along with the rest of the drink. I envisioned a Pisco Sour with a uniformly-distributed bitters-scorched foam: slightly crisp as the fire burnt the sugars, and slightly warm as the foam insulated the rest of the frosty cocktail from the heat. A pisco creme brulée in a glass!
I get so many visitors looking for tips on how to write a bartending resume that I thought I should finally post a tutorial on how to write your own. Click the headline to read more.
I always love showing up to a party with a gallon jug of pre-mixed margaritas, so I've decided to share my recipe. This margarita recipe is the perfect blend of strong, sweet, and sour. But be warned: this recipe packs a serious punch.
There isn't much I can say about this video that hasn't been said already. If you've read anything I've written about cocktails, you'll understand why this video symbolizes everything wrong with the state of bartending in America today. Watch and learn, but be warned: this one isn't for the feint of heart.
About Me
My name is Jeff Morgenthaler and I'm the head bartender at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon.
I've been tending bar since 1996 and writing about it since 2004. Mixing drinks has become something of a passion for me in recent years, and I strive to elevate the experience of having a drink from something mundane to something more culinary.
The writing I do here is intended as a work in progress. My recipes are like my opinions: they are constantly being revised and refined as I work them through my mind and my fingers. Comments and participation are encouraged, so please don't feel the need to tread lightly here.
I absolutely hate it when someone sends me a box full of sex toys in the mail. Sure, it might sound like fun to some of you (you know who you are), but receiving a big box of free sex is much more trouble than it’s worth. Believe me. So I get a little guarded when unannounced packages arrive because, you know, I’m worried that they’re going to be full of sex stuff.
Just a couple of months ago, such a suspicious package arrived and I opened it to find – much to my delight – not a box full of sex toys but rather a new pear liqueur called Xanté. That’s fine, I thought to myself, at least it’s just a harmless pear liqueur and not something more salacious. So I opened the envelope, and there was the standard non-sexy note from the liquor company:
“Xanté is an intimate love affair, a passionate encounter, a lifetime commitment, a ménage à trois between virgin pears, the finest French cognacs, and soft caresses of vanilla from French Limousine Oak.”
Huh, okay, an intimate, passionate ménage à trois with soft caresses from virgins or whatever, nothing terribly naughty about that. Guess I’ll open the box.
Xanté comes in a sleek black box, carefully secured with a long, silken gold ribbon. It is my understanding that this ribbon is not meant to be used as a blindfold, gag, or method of restraint, but rather a simple and affordable alternative to, say, a piece of tape to keep the box closed. The box is emblazoned with the G-rated slogan “Unimaginable Pleasure”.
Inside is a little booklet full of stories about pleasure and very tasteful photo essays of women in the sporting life, surrounded by young shirtless boys and quotes comparing non-sexual leisure activities to the enjoyment of pear liqueur:
“Any croquet player of distinction knows it’s crucial to always keep her eyes on the balls and peg, regardless of how distracting the surroundings may be. Sight is an equally important part of the Xanté experience; its rich amber colour makes it apparent to anyone that looks do matter.”
…and:
“Just like a day at the croquet grounds, stroking coloured wooden balls across manicured lawns, Xanté is uncompromisingly unpredictable.”
Apparently all of this ball-stroking can whip up an insatiable thirst for the consumer, so I guess the next thing to do would be to open up the bottle. Nestled in a non-suggestive coffin of black satin sheets is the bottle, standing proudly and erect in its velveteen hole.
The opening nose is reminiscent of pears poached in cinnamon and wine. The first sip reveals a moderate amount of heat, which dissipates quickly leaving behind an extended finish of basic sugars, pear, light caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and banana. Or, in the words of the company:
“…with its touch of vanilla, the perfect penetration of pear, and the slow, tender mating process which seals the great conception delivering a flavour and taste beyond all known experience.”
I don’t know, maybe it does sound kind of dirty after all.
Comments
21 Responses to “Xante Pear Liqueur (Not A Sex Toy)”
Great write up!
Xante is not really new – maybe it is rebranded and new in the US.
Like usually in Dubai, it is difficult to get your hands on something like that, so invested into the elaborate procedure of a special import, a couple years ago.
The cost of a special import is quite high, so I had great expectations – which were almost met by the product.
Though too soon, the we finished the stocks.
My homemade take on Xante surprised to be even better than the original: VSOP Cognac, Eau de vie de fruit de poire williams and sugar – all blended together and left for few days.
The result had more impressive fruit flavors, deeper Cognac flavors and a little more soothing heat…
Due to the extensive cost of special imports, the homemade product was even less expensive.
Clearly, the X in Xanté means you’re in for some x-rated santé, French for health. In other words, sexual healing. Via pears. Because you already have the pegs, balls and mallets you need.
Does the booze inside remotely worth all the fuss? I actually don’t think anything is worth such fuss, but you know what I mean. It looks like a cheap way to give prestige to a very ordinary product. Sounds like a glorified Belle de brillet to me.
The only “over the top” packaging that I like is the one for the Bowmore 40 years, with the magnificent bottle, the chest and the monocle.
05 Jun 2009 at 4:38 PM 6. Scooter
Those guys should write copy for the side of the Asom Brosso bottle.
I just reflected the whole topic.
It would be worth to try to make a liqueur using Domfrontais Calvados.
This area in the Normandy has to use a minimum of 30% pears in the cider.
But then it depends, if you can find these calvados for a decent price…
So, next would be Teton vodka… giggity giggity… Great write up. It almost sounds Bourdainish. Regardless, I am now thirsty. Gotta go grab something pear. Cheers.
Thanks for costing me £16.10. Just ordered a bottle online. I love Cognac and with so many people mentioning that word in relation to this drink I just got to try it.
I guess I should of got away from my computer for a bit and went and bought a shot or two from a bar to see if I like it first.
I wonder if I can cancel that order…..
Jamie
23 Jun 2009 at 7:19 PM 13. starr01
Wow what a description. I have to try this stuff!
25 Jun 2009 at 12:43 AM 14. Cha-Chi
French limousines, young shirtless boy’s,and croquet….. Sounds like your last trip to Europe!
“Velvety hole” just moved to the top of “Phrases I am Going to Beat to Death this Summer” list.
And interesting study in brand positioning.
09 Jul 2009 at 6:40 AM 16. Ben
Man, I need a cigarette after reading that review.
23 Nov 2009 at 5:51 AM 17. Mark Froelich
How can I get Xante shipped to my home in the US ?
26 Dec 2009 at 10:06 AM 18. Martin Oldsberg
This is a Swedish product, and as a citizen of that country I´d like to apologize for it.
Xanté comes straight from the lab and tastes exactly like that, and if you like that sort of thing this may be the sort of thing you like, but beware: it´s sexiness is all linguistic. They should be sued for connecting it to “Cognac”.
21 Apr 2010 at 4:26 PM 19. TessaTrue
Xanté is not a joke. It is a truly memorable pleasure. I use to sip it when I lived in Scandinavia. Xanté is meant to be sipped… with the one you plan to be with. It is not meant to drink alone. Xanté is an experience. I too would like to know where to find it here in America. I am in Chicago, I cannot find it here.
28 Jan 2011 at 4:05 AM 20. Benjamin Story
Well I must confess: I find this product description over the top. I feel almost insulted. I’d feel more aroused if they ditched the expensive wrapping, saved some cost on overhead, thus putting a few more bucks in my pocket. Regardless, I’m about to enjoy some by the fire on my Bengal tiger throw.
I absolutely hate it when someone sends me a box full of sex toys in the mail. Sure, it might sound like fun to some of you (you know who you are), but receiving a big box of free sex is much more trouble than it’s worth. Believe me. So I get a [...]
05 Jun 2009 at 8:59 AM 1. tomjulio
…it must have been a dirty and sexy for you, because directly below this article you have Norwegian Wood. Coincidence? I think not.
05 Jun 2009 at 9:21 AM 2. Dominik MJ - opinionated alchemist
Hi Jeffrey,
Great write up!
Xante is not really new – maybe it is rebranded and new in the US.
Like usually in Dubai, it is difficult to get your hands on something like that, so invested into the elaborate procedure of a special import, a couple years ago.
The cost of a special import is quite high, so I had great expectations – which were almost met by the product.
Though too soon, the we finished the stocks.
My homemade take on Xante surprised to be even better than the original: VSOP Cognac, Eau de vie de fruit de poire williams and sugar – all blended together and left for few days.
The result had more impressive fruit flavors, deeper Cognac flavors and a little more soothing heat…
Due to the extensive cost of special imports, the homemade product was even less expensive.
05 Jun 2009 at 11:01 AM 3. Brian12566
Just a Quick aside, Norwegian Wood, now erect bottles in velvety holes? Your blog rules.
Thanks for the review!
05 Jun 2009 at 12:29 PM 4. Eugenia
Clearly, the X in Xanté means you’re in for some x-rated santé, French for health. In other words, sexual healing. Via pears. Because you already have the pegs, balls and mallets you need.
05 Jun 2009 at 1:08 PM 5. Alex Newhouse
Well… I guess it could be used as a sex toy.
Does the booze inside remotely worth all the fuss? I actually don’t think anything is worth such fuss, but you know what I mean. It looks like a cheap way to give prestige to a very ordinary product. Sounds like a glorified Belle de brillet to me.
The only “over the top” packaging that I like is the one for the Bowmore 40 years, with the magnificent bottle, the chest and the monocle.
05 Jun 2009 at 4:38 PM 6. Scooter
Those guys should write copy for the side of the Asom Brosso bottle.
05 Jun 2009 at 6:55 PM 7. D
Drink the pear liqueur, or make love to it….
YOU decide. ;)
06 Jun 2009 at 6:10 AM 8. Dominik MJ - opinionated alchemist
I just reflected the whole topic.
It would be worth to try to make a liqueur using Domfrontais Calvados.
This area in the Normandy has to use a minimum of 30% pears in the cider.
But then it depends, if you can find these calvados for a decent price…
07 Jun 2009 at 6:45 AM 9. Philip Duff
Nothing raunchy that I can see, Morgenthaler, it’s just your dirty mind.
Healthy exercise will cure this weakness.
Why not go pound some steely-hard pegs into soft, welcoming, furry undergrowth –
on a camping holiday, say?
08 Jun 2009 at 4:22 PM 10. Rico
I couldn’t stand up for several minutes after reading this post.
09 Jun 2009 at 9:53 AM 11. caskproof
So, next would be Teton vodka… giggity giggity… Great write up. It almost sounds Bourdainish. Regardless, I am now thirsty. Gotta go grab something pear. Cheers.
15 Jun 2009 at 4:58 AM 12. Jamie Belcher
Thanks for costing me £16.10. Just ordered a bottle online. I love Cognac and with so many people mentioning that word in relation to this drink I just got to try it.
I guess I should of got away from my computer for a bit and went and bought a shot or two from a bar to see if I like it first.
I wonder if I can cancel that order…..
Jamie
23 Jun 2009 at 7:19 PM 13. starr01
Wow what a description. I have to try this stuff!
25 Jun 2009 at 12:43 AM 14. Cha-Chi
French limousines, young shirtless boy’s,and croquet….. Sounds like your last trip to Europe!
Love you!
03 Jul 2009 at 8:01 AM 15. Col. Hector Bravado
“Velvety hole” just moved to the top of “Phrases I am Going to Beat to Death this Summer” list.
And interesting study in brand positioning.
09 Jul 2009 at 6:40 AM 16. Ben
Man, I need a cigarette after reading that review.
23 Nov 2009 at 5:51 AM 17. Mark Froelich
How can I get Xante shipped to my home in the US ?
26 Dec 2009 at 10:06 AM 18. Martin Oldsberg
This is a Swedish product, and as a citizen of that country I´d like to apologize for it.
Xanté comes straight from the lab and tastes exactly like that, and if you like that sort of thing this may be the sort of thing you like, but beware: it´s sexiness is all linguistic. They should be sued for connecting it to “Cognac”.
21 Apr 2010 at 4:26 PM 19. TessaTrue
Xanté is not a joke. It is a truly memorable pleasure. I use to sip it when I lived in Scandinavia. Xanté is meant to be sipped… with the one you plan to be with. It is not meant to drink alone. Xanté is an experience. I too would like to know where to find it here in America. I am in Chicago, I cannot find it here.
28 Jan 2011 at 4:05 AM 20. Benjamin Story
Well I must confess: I find this product description over the top. I feel almost insulted. I’d feel more aroused if they ditched the expensive wrapping, saved some cost on overhead, thus putting a few more bucks in my pocket. Regardless, I’m about to enjoy some by the fire on my Bengal tiger throw.
Care to join me Tessa?
25 Apr 2011 at 9:24 PM 21. BarsAndBartending.com
That’s gotta be the sexiest liqueur around!
Personally, I don’t need the fancy write-up to entice me. Just some cool, new recipes would suffice.