now serving: Housemade Advocaat

The challenge was thrown down by head chef Whitney.  She wanted a cream cocktail for the winter seasonal  menu, with the suggestion that I make a housemade eggnog.  It seemed easy enough, though I had never made an eggnog nor did I have a recipe for such a thing.  But, this is the age of the internet, and anything can be found.
Now, as much as I enjoy serving traditional and classic cocktails, I enjoy creativity within drinks more.  The creativity, after all, is what drew me to working as a bar man in the first place.  Upon looking at other fine dining drink menus in the area, I noticed that more than one establishment had an eggnog cocktail, whether house made or not.  This made the originality bones in my body stir, and I decided to alter "eggnog" as we have come to know it.
As with all new cocktails, I researched as much as possible before executing an idea.  I began by starting with the classics, which led me to search every flip recipe I have ever known.  If you are unfamiliar, a flip is a traditional classification of cocktails.  The origins stem from before the 16th century, and William Congreve felt inclined to include it in his play entitled Love for Love:
"We're merry folks, we sailors: we han't much to care for. Thus we live at sea; eat biscuit, and drink flip, put on a clean shirt once a quarter; come home and lie with our landladies once a year, get rid of a little money, and then put off with the next fair wind. How d'ye like us?"

Aside from the fact that this appeals to my intense desire to be a pirate, a flip cocktail's characteristics were first defined in a bar manual by the legendary Jerry Thomas:
"The essential in flips of all sorts is to produce the smoothness by repeated pouring back and forward between two vessels and beating up the eggs well in the first instance the sweetening and spices according to taste."

In his manual, Mr. Thomas outlined several ways to serve flips.  One of his recipes called for advocaat, which was a term I was unfamiliar with until a month ago.  Advocaat is not too dissimliar from eggnog, with one main difference- there is no cream in advocaat, only egg yolks.  One thing was certain, I had found my original cream cocktail and managed to stay near the flavors of egg nog.  After a few batches, I settled in on a recipe that made the most sense (and contained the most booze).  If you would like that recipe, feel free to email me at Kaleb@farm255.com. 

On a personal note, I am very proud of this recipe and impressed with the flavors that came out of it.  The new cocktail on the drink menu is called the Classic City Flip, in honor of the traditional recipes that many dedicated bar men have churned out that resembles a flip.  Also, I wanted to honor Athens herself, in all her glory.  the Classic City flip is:
Vanilla Vodka, Amaretto, Cinnamon, and Housemade Advocaat.
Seriously, you really should try this.  Ask your server about it and you will get a raving review.  I'm starting to think no customers actually order it, and all of the advocaat is being consumed by the staff. 

So, as the year wanes into the awaiting arms of the past and we approach the new year, please be safe out there on NYE.  AAA is offering Tipsy tow for Everyone, so please use it if you need to do so. 1-800-222-4357 from 6pm to 6am New year's eve. They will take you and your car home for free if you had a few too many, even if you are not a member.  Pass this number along to your family and friends.... Lets make sure everyone has a fun and safe New Year!

Also, don't forget that legendary rocker Dexter Romweber will be in the Farm house on December 30th for a rip roarin' good time.  And, for the 31st, a free show with Quiet Hooves featuring covers of Devo, Prince, and Talking Heads, just to name a few.  Free Kisses at midnight, y'all!  Come toast away 2011 and welcome 2012 with us!

Kaleb