tomorrow, sat. march 29th at 8pm, the very first EARTH HOUR will take place. all lights will be off for a solid hour no matter location, occupation, situation, ect. easy if you’re home watching a flick, but not so easy if you’re running a restaurant! some innovative peeps from the land down under thought up a good earthy tipple:

“Add A splash or two of vodka, spiced rum, prickly pear pulp, honey, one or two other ingredients and the finishing touch — a passionfruit shell soaked in alcohol and set alight. And you have it: THE EARTH HOUR COCKTAIL”

When bartenders Stuart Moss and David Cockayne, from St Kilda’s Mink bar, set about creating a drink to celebrate the global call for action on climate change they had some clear objectives.

The ingredients must be organic and symbolic of the seven continents. And because electric blenders will be switched off during the hour, it had to be muddled.

But the real challenge was that the cocktail should cast light on patrons sipping in the dark.

They investigated chemicals to make the drink glow in the dark — but that would be against the “organic objective” — and even considered mini solar panels dunked in the cocktail.

“We thought maybe tiny bulbs we could sit in the sun for the day to charge and then drop them into the drink,” Mr Moss says. “But it wasn’t feasible; it was too expensive ($40 a pop).”

After 15 hours of trial and error, it was an empty passionfruit shell soaked in rum and set alight that did the trick. The garnish can be set aside, shining bright for up to 10 minutes.

“I’m not going to change the world, but it’s raising awareness,” Mr Moss says. “If we can get people who are drinking at Mink … asking why are we drinking this, it’s a conversation point and they will start talking about it.”

Mink is one of more than 70 restaurants and bars around Melbourne, and some in regional Victoria, that have signed up to Earth Hour. Many are using candlelight for the hour or designing special menus using local ingredients to minimise “food miles”…

continue reading on THE AGE

wouldn’t it be cool if this were true? well, it can be! but first, we have work to do… (spoken like the slave master capricorn i am)

Ann R. Tuennerman is the founder of the wildly successful Tales of the Cocktail annual event in New Orleans. She has been campaigning diligently to make the Sazerac the official cocktail of louisiana. Senator Murray is expected to broach it at the next appropriate chance he gets… which looks like this weekend. so, time is of the essence – join me in urging the senator to start the ball rolling on sazerac legislation! the exquisite city of new orleans deserves their own cocktail more than anyone. not only was the sazerac invented in new orleans, but after all they’ve recently endured… that town could sure use a drink!

here’s how to help:
send a short email to Senator Murray, and cc assistant Tonice Duncan (cc ann as well). The senator and his assistant have been very helpful. please show them that there is support for this bill and the sazerac is worthy of such a designation.

Murray, Sen. (District Office)
murraye@legis.state.la.us

Tonice Duncan
toniced@yahoo.com

Ann R. Tuennerman
ann@talesofthecocktail.com

here is a copy of ann’s original letter to senator murray:

Dear Senator Murray:

On behalf of the non-profit New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society and Tales of the Cocktail, I am writing to respectfully request that you sponsor proposed legislation that would establish the Sazerac Cocktail as the official State Cocktail of Louisiana.

As you may know, the Sazerac was invented in New Orleans by 19th century pharmacist Antoine Amedee Peychaud, who operated his apothecary in Royal Street in the French Quarter. Peychaud, a refugee of the slave rebellions of St.-Domingue (which became the nation of Haiti), concocted his own special blend of aromatic bitters, and added them to French Brandy, made by Sazerac des Forge et Fils of Limoges, France, along with a little Louisiana cane sugar. That classic libation, over the course of the 19th century, evolved into the drink we know today, the Sazerac, which is composed of rye whiskey, sugar, absinthe (or a substitute), and Peychaud’s Bitters. Regardless of whether it was the world’s “first” cocktail, it is among the first, and likely the Sazerac is the first cocktail born in the Crescent City.

As noted above, the Sazerac has evolved over time, and represents history in a glass. The substitution of rye for brandy, which historians have traced to around 1870, is reflective of the changing demographics of the city. With the wane of the French Creole influence on the city, and the increasing numbers of Americans, it was natural to substitute American rye whiskey, which was coming down the Mississippi on flatboats from distillers who carried their product for export via the rivers and canals of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the Ohio Valley. The addition of absinthe reflects the popularity that oft-maligned spirit had in New Orleans, a
flourishing Bohemian and artisan community then, as it is now. But Peychaud’s Bitters, a local product, has remained the constant, beautifully marrying together the seemingly disparate flavors of the rye, the absinthe and the sugar. It is the ultimate sipping drink, created for contemplation, and it’s no wonder it was a favorite of notable characters such as Huey Long, O. Henry, and many others who have spent time in the Vieux Carre.

And the Sazerac is as important to tourism as any offering from the kitchens and saloons of Louisiana. It is a drink that is still made in the time-honored way, with the original ingredients. When folks come to New Orleans, they want certain things authentic and original to the Crescent City, be it a beignet, a po-boy, a cup of chicory coffee, Oysters Rockefeller, bread pudding or Bananas Foster. The Sazerac deserves a special place among the classic drinks that have their birthplace in Louisiana, and I can think of no drink more deserving of the honor of
Official State Cocktail than the Sazerac.
photo credit
photo credit

i’m just on an green product roll here! how cute (ok, slightly cheesy, as in wine and cheese of course) is this wine caddy? brings a whole new meaning to the word “boozehound,” no? a noah’s ark of animals and different products are available. each is made from salvaged parts like factory rejects, bike parts, and scrap yard junk. made by hand in kentucky. ($60+ call or email to be directed to a store in your area, 800-828-9247 or customerservice@
yardbirds.info. you might also try googling “yardbirds wine caddy”) VIA YARDBIRDS

i have recently fallen in love with upcycled garbage! this bottle is one of many incredibly beautiful objets du art to cross my path that were rescued from our waste stream. only $150 A & G MERCH in brooklyn.

VIA THE NEW YORK TIMES

personally, i think the smoking ban was one of the best things to migrate over from london. i do believe that residents of minnesota feel differently. BBC NEWS reports an interesting bit on bar patrons smoking through a loophole. they put on a play in the bar, and pretend that smoking is part of the act! they even go so far as to have props and label things like “stage door.” pretty smart, i will give them that… the health dept. is vowing to shut them down, but for now they’re still up and acting… read the full story here.

THE GRAPE is a funky, eco-chic wine rack. It’s made out of 100% post-industrial recycled, bio degradable and recyclable Styrofoam. It is unfortunate however, that styrofoam recycling is quite limited, and i doubt all of these cool objects will get recycled at the end of their useful lifetime. the styrofoam used is remnant styrofoam from production. this makes it after manufacturing recycled NOT after consumer recycled (it’s important to understand the difference.) you can own this “green” piece of functional art for a mere $120 from www.greenergrassdesign.com

if the thought of learning the fine art of bartending bores you, fear not. boys, and lesbians, the topless academy of bartending has come to your rescue! sex on the beach demonstrated by a topless chick, what more could you want? if guys bought each other gifts, this would be the perfect one. VIA LIQUOR SNOB

did you know that there is an international group that goes by the name of GREEN DRINKS? across the globe, people who are proactively eco-conscious meet monthly to network with each other. they usually meet at a bar for happy hour. great name, isn’t it? i attended one of their nyc gatherings a few years back and it was totally chill. no pressure, no weirdness, just cocktails and casual conversation with other “green” peeps. interested? see if there’s a GREEN DRINKS group in your town at GREENDRINKS.ORG or join their group on FACEBOOK.

wow wow wow! 100% post-consumer recycled rubber coasters. BIG NOTE: black color only!!! (colored coasters are only 30% post-industrial recycled.) set of six pops on and out of a 6-pack-inspired holder. ($18) at JOSH JAKUS

I’m not quite sure what’s worse – st patrick’s day, new year’s eve or mardi gras- when it comes to going out for the night. personally, i’d rather go to a nice dinner or private cocktail party any day. something about drunk slobbering men and spilled beer that doesn’t get me exited. if you feel the same way, consider rice instead of pototoes this st paddy’s day dinner. if you’re in new york this week, ride The “Chiva Bus” at La Palapa’s 77 St. Marks Place location across town to their west village location. (st marks location closed for renovations all week) enjoy antojitos, bebidas, latin tunes, margarita shots (without 28 people breathing down your neck to get to the bar) and all the way across town.