Jeffrey Morgenthaler


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How to Make Sangrita

sangrita.jpg

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.

Years ago I was taught that sangrita is a blend of tomato and orange juices, with the addition of something spicy (hot sauce, typically) for a little kick. But further research has convinced me that this American sangrita recipe, while still enjoyable and certainly prevalent, is not altogether authentic.

Real sangrita from the Lake Chapala region of Jalisco is made with Seville orange and pomegranate juices, with powdered chiles added for heat. Taking into account that even the most cocktailian bartender (professional or otherwise) doesn’t typically stock sour oranges or pomegranate juice behind the bar, I’ve worked up a recipe that should approximate the flavor of this spicy little sour orange and pomegranate chaser while still providing an authentic experience.

1 oz orange juice (freshly-squeezed)
¾ oz - 1 oz lime juice (depending on the sweetness of your oranges)
½ oz real pomegranate grenadine
3 dashes hot sauce or ¼ tsp chile powder

Mix ingredients, chill, and serve.

This is far from the final word on sangrita. I’ll still continue to enjoy the tomato varieties (1,2,3), but I think you’ll find a brightness and depth of flavor from this version that plays better with a wider variety of mezcals and tequilas than its heavier gringo cousin.

What’s your experience with sangrita? Chime in with your stories and recipes in the comments section.

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About Me

My name is Jeff Morgenthaler and I'm the head bartender at Bel Ami in Eugene, Oregon.

A photo of me behind the bar.

I'm 36, I've been tending bar for 12 years and writing about it for 5. 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’m Interviewed by My Hometown Newspaper

Thursday, April 19th, 2007
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I was interviewed by the Monterey County Herald earlier this week for an article on recent trends in mixology and bartending that appears today.

This was pretty exciting for me, as the reporter originally had no idea I had grown up there, he just happened to find me online as a sort of “expert” (yeah, I don’t know about that, either)

At any rate, it’s a great article and I’m thrilled to be quoted:

“I see cocktails as a form of cuisine,” he said by phone from his Oregon home. “A great bartender can elevate the mundane after-work drink into something more. It transcends the simple act of having a drink to calm your nerves. It’s sensory.”

Click here for the whole story.

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I’m About to Get My Ass Kicked at the Tales of the Cocktail Drink Competition

Monday, April 16th, 2007
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I received this in my inbox last week:

TO: All Participants

WHAT: Tales of the Cocktail, the annual culinary and cocktail festival, features a Cocktail Competition to determine the “official cocktail” of the event. Bartenders local and nation-wide submitted recipes for the competition.

Moët & Chandon White Star Champagne was a required ingredient for the official cocktail. The official cocktail will be featured and served throughout the Tales of the Cocktail event, July 18-22, and on the website. Winners will receive cash prizes and be featured in Culinary Concierge Magazine and the book “101 Champagne Cocktails”

WHEN: Tuesday, April 17th, 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Hotel Monteleone, Riverview Room (rooftop), 214 Royal Street , New Orleans

So what, right? Well, I mention this because it signals the fact that I have finally entered my first cocktail competition. I guess I got so inspired watching my friends compete in Vegas that I felt I was finally ready to throw my hat into a bigger ring than the Sexiest Bartender in Eugene, Oregon competition.

Click here to continue reading »

9 Comments

The End of an Era

Wednesday, April 11th, 2007
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For the past year and a half, one of my favorite sites to read on the internet has been D.C. Drinks. Authors Isaac Washington and Lonnie Bruner brought some great writing and a huge dose of sarcasm to the cocktail blogosphere (I hate that word)

On Saturday, sadly, they posted their last article ever:

“I have written much less than most people who write; but I have drunk much more than most people who drink.” - Guy Debord

Thank you DCDrinks fans.

I asked them why the sudden end to such a great blog, and this was their response:

Yea, we’re done. We just got lazy with it and hadn’t posted in two months. Just don’t feel like posting to it anymore.

Be sure to take a lap through the site and take in as much as you can while it’s still up. Particularly funny is their take on a Smirnoff/James Bond promo party.

We’ll miss you, guys. Thanks for some great reading.

2 Comments

Oops, I Did It Again, or, Another Worthy Blog I’ve Forgotten to Link To

Saturday, April 7th, 2007
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The links section of my website is the area that I spend the least amount of time concerning myself with. Sometimes it’s hard enough, between managing a busy bar and working four nine-hour shifts a week, to even try to think up a mildly entertaining article to write.

However, I’m an avid reader, and typically spend an hour or two every night before bed reading the latest from the mixology blogosphere. One of the weblogs I read regularly is called A Dash of Bitters, and it’s a beautifully-written and waaay-over-the-top in terms of cocktail geekery. So without further ado, I would like to introduce you to one of my personal favorites, A Dash of Bitters.

1 Comment

More Blogs for Your Reading Pleasure

Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
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Newcomer Dr. Bamboo not only has (well, just two so far) some of the best articles on classic mixology, but he does his own fantastic illustrations to accompany his articles. Take a look at his site here.

Natalie at The Liquid Muse leads a charmed life. Cocktail Goddess to the Rich and Famous, she writes about all things cocktailian, and updates her site more regularly than I step behind the bar. You can visit the lovely Liquid Muse here.

When I want to know what’s really happening at the upper eschelon of mixology, I check in at Drink Boy. While the Drink Boy Forums can often be a hotbed of mixology fanboy madness, his blog is so brilliant and well-written that it makes me wish I had paid more attention in school. Take a look at what you’ve been missing here.

And don’t forget to come back, I’ll have more stories, opinions and recipes for you very soon.

2 Comments

America’s Top Ten Bartenders

Friday, January 26th, 2007
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Brenda over at The Spirit World alerts us to a Playboy article about the top ten bartenders in America today:

America’s best bartenders are not those oh-so-talented men and women who can juggle three liquor bottles while singing country tunes. And they are not the folks who merely give you a free round (though that is indeed a wonderful thing). Mixing drinks has become an art form on the level of haute cuisine; better cocktails use fresh ingredients, pair unusual flavors and look as good as they taste. Serious mixologists (pretentiously known as “bar chefs”) have mastered the classics and strive to create new ones. In our search for the best bartenders we looked for pros you can actually see (and meet) mixing drinks. Our top 10 are assembled here alphabetically, along with their place of work and signature creation.

I was pleased to see the inclusion of Lucy Brennan, who was once the employer of my current boss, Katie Marcus-Brown!

Comment on this Article

I’ve Been Interviewed!

Thursday, January 11th, 2007
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The wonderful Joe at joebartender.com has posted an interview we did together…

How did you go about getting your first bartending gig? Was it tough to land your first one?

Through the campus job center, I found - and was hired for - two jobs on the same day. One was bussing dishes in a little mom-and-pop restaurant. The other was bartending during the day at a neighborhood tavern. I’m naturally very shy and wanted to overcome my fear of speaking in public, so I decided I’d be a bartender for the summer. It ended up being a perfect fit, so I stayed there for four years.

Thanks, Joe!

Comment on this Article

We’re Number Two! We’re Number Two!

Monday, November 6th, 2006
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Okay, it doesn’t sound so great when you scream it like that, but…

The Eugene Weekly’s Best of Eugene poll came out, and I’ve tied with my good friend Jeremy Shank for the second-best bartender in Eugene.

You can read the full story here. Scroll down about halfway to see my little name in there.

Oh, and the Richmond Gimlet won third-best drink in Eugene! Huzzah!

Comment on this Article

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Tales of the Cocktail

Latest Product Review

Tools of the Trade: Knives

I own a small library of books on the subject of bartending. Some of these books are geared toward the professional bartender, while others are written for the home mixologist. But regardless of the intended audience, almost every book I own heartily recommends that we use paring knives for cutting fruits and garnishes. […]

Read full review here »

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