The public television music program Austin City Limits (the only TV show to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts) helped the city of Austin earn the title of “Live Music Capital of the World” and then spawned an annual festival that happens each October—a very busy time for Austin and its bartenders. We…
Tag: drinking
Rum Away With Me
When mixed with the right delicious ingredients—provided in September’s Rum Away With Me Box, of course—rum sure makes for one hell of a cocktail. Frank Kurk Maldonado created this delightful concoction to bring some of his home country’s flavors to you. With the zing of lime juice, some velvety Small Hands Foods orgeat (or-what, you…
Use Your ImaGINation
What makes gin, gin? The one real requisite is the distilling of a neutral grain alcohol with juniper, and that’s actually pretty much it. What distinguishes the various gins from one another, on the other hand, is a far more interesting question! With so many distinct flavors, no two gins are truly alike (luckily we…
Pisco Away
. . . actually, on second thought, don’t. Stay right here, because there’s something you may not know: pisco is actually a type of brandy! But don’t be too surprised: any distillate of fruit juice is technically a brandy. While Cognac and other after-dinner drinks you may be more familiar with are aged in oak…
Behind the Last Guinea Pig in Cuzco
We sat down with Nathan Dalton of Piscobar in the Catahoula Hotel in New Orleans to chat about his work, the history of pisco, and his cocktail for the Pisco Fever Box, the Last Guinea Pig in Cuzco! S&S: What’s your specialty? ND: I guess I would have to say pisco is my specialty. I recently opened a bar/café…
Pisco Fever
Hot summer nights call for the spirit of the Incan gods: pisco, one of the purest spirits known to man. The only thing that enters the bottle is the grapes—and nothing else can be added, not even water. The result is the remarkably delicious and shockingly versatile unaged Peruvian brandy that’s sure to be the…
Vodka Cocktails in the Wild
Spring has sprung (mostly), and it shows in the fun photos of your vodka cocktails! Here’s the roundup of images from our community of subscribers toasting the season with their cocktails from April’s box, Vodka, Adventures, and Spring, Oh My! Use #shakerandspoon to be considered for a feature. Cheers! Vodka, Adventures, and Spring, Oh My! via @omichellemybell Shrub-a-Dub-Dubs via @lbeaslie Ralston’s Black Peppered Old…
Sake It To Me!
In recent years, sake has crossed the Pacific and graced our cocktails with its presence here in the US. The shapeshifting fermented rice liquor is quickly becoming popular among bartenders due to its intense umami-ness (the fifth taste), complex flavor profile, and increasing availability and variety, though many people still haven’t discovered sake libations. That’s…
Irish Whiskey Cocktails in the Wild
You guys did a gorgeous job garnishing your Irish whiskey cocktails! We saw a lot of photos of the Tea & Honey in particular, and the sage and bitters were looking great. Glad to see that you enjoyed those tiny little clothespin clips as much as we did! For your viewing pleasure, here’s the roundup of images…
Bubbly Cocktails in the Wild
Looks like you guys had some fun and romantic times with our bubbly cocktails! Chef Pusheen and Mersheen (below) were just too cute. For your viewing pleasure, here’s the roundup of images from our community of subscribers toasting with their drinks from the Afterparty Box. Use #shakerandspoon to be considered for a feature. Cheers! Valentine’s Chinese New Years via @tcsullivan Original Sin via @loridear…
Vodka, Adventures, and Spring, Oh My!
Can you smell spring in the air? We sure can. We’re celebrating the welcome return of milder weather by re-releasing Vodka, Adventures, and Spring, Oh My!, featuring three great cocktails and jam-packed with goodies! In this box, vodka’s a blank canvas that you can paint anything you want on, and we’re so excited to bring…
Brandy Cocktails in the Wild
You guys must really like your brandy cocktails, because we are still seeing photos of them popping up! They’re definitely just the thing for a cold winter night (or day!)—that must be why we saw so many toddies in particular. For your viewing pleasure, here’s the roundup of images from our community of subscribers keeping warm with their cocktails…
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