299573 Wed Dec 29 19:49:46 -0800 2004 6 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1660208 For an informal New Year's dinner, I'm making black eyed peas and other southern fare so I thought I'd concoct some sort of bourbon cocktail -- what could I make up a pitcher of for the guests? Are mint juleps the best choice? Also on New Year's we're making champagne cocktails with pomegranate juice -- I saw these mentioned somewhere, but would they be good with regular pomegranate juice from the store? Or do they require some sort of special syrup? Wed Dec 29 19:49:46 -0800 2004 0 Chowpatty 1 1660213 The pomegranate juice from the store should work just fine... if you're looking for a pomegranate syrup, it goes by the name of grenadine. Wed Dec 29 20:46:25 -0800 2004 1660208 0 JK Grence (the Cosmic Jester) 1 1660228 I don't like making juleps by the pitcher; that drink deserves the individualized attention of a muddler. Consider Manhattans (traditionally made with rye, but I like mine with bourbon), bourbon sours, or sour variants like the Ward Eight (1.5 oz bourbon, .5 oz each of lemon juice and OJ, tsp of Grenadine). For pure exoticness, mix yourself a Chaplin: .75 oz each of bourbon, dry sherry, and Ramazzotti (a Camapari-like Italian amaro), a big dash of Cointreau, and two dashes of orange bitters, shaken over ice, strained into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnished with a lemon twist. I also like a Sazerac, but they're not for everyone (and also not to be served in bulk). Try one at the Fairmont (the old Roosevelt) Hotel in New Orleans sometime. Pour a long dash of Herbsaint (Pernod in a pinch) into a chilled double rocks glass, just enough to coat the inside when swirled around. Over ice in a shaker, briskly stir (not shake) a tsp of simple syrup, 3-4 dashes of Peychaud's bitters, and 2 oz of rye (bourbon won't do here); gently strain into the glass. Take a lemon twist, wring out some oil into the drink, rim the glass with it, and hang it on the rim. Voila! Thu Dec 30 09:12:37 -0800 2004 1660208 0 MC Slim JB 1 1660269 I love a good manhattan... you could mix up a pitcher, and leave a shaker plus some ice on the bar for people who want them icey. if you can get you hand on brandied cherries, they are my favorite in manhattans. Thu Dec 30 16:16:01 -0800 2004 1660208 0 Fatemeh 1 1660370 I'm arriving at this thread too late to be of any help, but would just like to observe that the notion that people in the South drink mint juleps is mostly an anachronism at this point... I spent the first thirty years of my life in North Carolina, and saw my first mint julep the year I went to the Kentucky Derby. I hope that you made a nice pitcher of Manhattans or something, or just served bourbon on the rocks, to your guests. ;-) And how did the champagne and pomegranate cocktails turn out? - er Link: http://enrevanche.blogspot.com Sat Jan 01 11:40:53 -0800 2005 1660208 0 enrevanche 2 1660509 The pomegranate and champagne was wonderful. Some people added triple sec and/or peach juice -- we tried a number of combos, all tasty. We used regular Pom juice. I also made a pitcher of Manhattans with some very nice Labrott & Graham bourbon. The mixture of the champagne and bourbon might have been a little dangerous, but the black-eyed peas soaked it all up nicely. Mon Jan 03 15:59:11 -0800 2005 1660370 0 Chowpatty 1 1660380 Too late for this year, but I would recommend using pomegranate juice and if you prefer a sweeter cocktail, either use a bit of simple syrup, or put a sugar cube in the glass. Sat Jan 01 14:22:35 -0800 2005 1660208 0 Bluebell