Mixology Monday

It’s late February and for most of us in the chillier parts of the Northern Hemisphere, the whole idea of “winter” is a bit old by now. But take heart: as you eye the weather report for news of the next blast of snow and tooth-cracking cold, the next Mixology Monday is coming up quick, and true to the season, the theme is “Some Like it Hot.”

This round of Mixology Monday takes place Monday, February 28, and is hosted by Nancy at the Backyard Bartender. As Nancy writes in her preview post, the theme is straightforward: “Make anything you want to, as long as it’s served hot.”

Couldn’t be easier. To participate, simply publish a post on your blog with your hot-drink recipe and if possible, a photo. Be sure to include a link to the host’s blog, as well as to the Mixology Monday site, and please include the MxMo logo in your post as a sign to your readers that you’re participating in this online party. Have everything done by the end of Monday, February 28, and don’t forget to notify Nancy of your post; contact details are in her announcement.

Bundle up, and get mixing — I hope to see your post on the next Mixology Monday.

I don’t know how the weather is right now where you live, but here in Seattle it’s cold –the nasty, January type of wintery grey that makes you forget such a thing as summer even exists. Fortunately for all of us putting up with frigid weather, there are flips to help us through the season, strong and robust drinks made all the more fortifying by the addition of a whole egg, and served either hot or cold. Even more fortunately, See You on the Flipside is the theme for the first Mixology Monday of 2011, so it’s time to reach for the egg carton and see what comes out of the liquor cabinet.

This month’s event is hosted by Josh Cole at Cocktail Assembly, and takes place Monday, January 17. In explaining the theme, Josh writes that while flips are a necessary part of the arsenal at this time of year, their appeal isn’t limited to the colder months:

The flip is one of those cocktails that so successfully defies the seasons. When it’s cold and the icy chill is tearing its way through to our bones, the heated flip opens it’s arms and embraces us like a warm blanket. When it’s hot, the cool flip lowers the heat and can bring back that spring day memory of a creamy shake enjoyed on a front porch. There’s never a bad time or temperature to enjoy the frothy glory that is the flip.

Sound words; here’s how to participate: simply mix your flip and blog about it no later than Monday, January 17; including a photo in your post is a great idea, and while you’re at it please insert the MxMo logo, a link to the Mixology Monday site so readers know what you’re talking about, and a link to the host site, Cocktail Assembly, so readers can see all the great drinks that participants come up with this month. Be sure to let Josh know you’ve participated by sending him a link to your post, and if you want to play along but don’t have a blog, Josh is even offering to let you guest post on his site (but he needs to have your submission by January 15).

So bundle up, break out the cocktail shaker and let us see what you’ve come up with this month.

The holidays are bearing down quick, and it’s the time of year when holiday and office parties are bringing cocktail novices to the bar, struggling with what to order.

Let’s help them out. December’s Mixology Monday will be hosted by Chris Amirault at eGullet on December 13, and Chris has suggested for the theme, “Like That? You’ll Love This!” Here’s how he describes it:

At the bar where I now work, I regularly receive requests for the bar staples of the late 20th century, espresso martinis, appletinis, and other things that end inappropriately in -tini. Though these are standard-issue drinks at most bars, Cook & Brown Public House aims for a classic approach that eschews the pucker line, flavored vodkas, and bottled sour mix.

I’ve been talking with other bartenders and they, too, want to find a balance between customer service and stocking products that they can’t or won’t back. In addition, a well-made tweak of someone’s favorite can be just the ticket through the gate to the sort of quality cocktails you want to serve guests at home or at work. Hence this MxMo, devoted to sharing gateway drinks that allow you to say, “If you like that, you’ll love this!”

Everybody has a friend or colleague whose drink order is invariably a dirty vodka martini or a machine-made margarita or something similarly icky. If you wanted to bring this person to the mixo side, what drink would you utilize that’s close enough to their comfort zone for them to try, but that could still open their eyes to better cocktail experiences?

Once you’ve got an idea, blog about it no later than Monday, December 13. Be sure to include the MxMo logo in your post and a link to eGullet’s Spirits & Cocktails Forum, as our host; also, be sure to let Chris know you’ve participated by sending him a link to your post at camirault [at] egstaff [dot] org.

There were around 25 participants for November’s “Forgotten Cocktails” Mixology Monday, hosted by Dennis at Rock & Rye. Entries ranged from relative rarities such as Curacao Punch and the Automobile cocktail, to drinks recently rescued from obscurity, such as the Pegu Club and the Twentieth Century.

Head over to Rock & Rye for the full roundup, and thanks to Dennis for hosting.

I know, I know, we missed October — ’twas the case of the incredible disappearing host.

BUT — Mixology Monday is back this month, and the next round takes place November 22. Hosting this round is Dennis at Rock & Rye, and for the theme Dennis has selected: Forgotten Cocktails.

Here’s his take:

The challenge this month is to bring to light a drink that you think deserves to be resurrected from the past, and placed back into the spotlight. It could be pre-prohibition, post-war, that horrible decade known as the 80′s, it doesn’t really matter. As long as it is somewhat obscure, post it up. If possible try to keep to ingredients that are somewhat readily available. While we all appreciate the discovery of an amazing cocktail, if we can’t make it, it’s no fun for anyone.

Just about everyone in the boozy blogosphere has been known to dip into mixology’s back catalog from time to time — here’s your chance to show us the latest of what you’ve brought back and dusted off.

Participation is simple:

1. Have your Forgotten Cocktail post up on your blog by midnight on November 22.
2. Don’t forget to include the MxMo logo in your post, along with links to the Mixology Monday blog and the host’s Rock & Rye blog — that way your readers will be able to understand what you’re going on about, and can see who else is playing along.
3. E-mail a link to your post to Dennis [at] adrinkontherocks [dot] com, or put it in a comment on his preview post.
4. Come back around to Rock & Rye in a few days to check out the roundup post, and see what everyone else came up with.

Easy? Indeed. See you on November 22.