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What's going on in the wild and wonderful world of cocktails?
It’s almost holiday party time. And while I can’t say I’d been proactively thinking about what a party would be like at Walton Goggins’ house, having read about this experience definitely makes me wish I were invited.
Goggins is known for his acting in movies like Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, and Lincoln, and TV shows like The Shield, Justified, Vice Principals and my second-favorite-show-ever Sons of Anarchy. But it turns out he’s a consummate host as well.
When he’s not traveling for work, Goggins and his family love to have people over. (Once you see his kitchen, you’ll know why.) The house is full of places to sit down and chat.
Goggins and his wife have a Christmas party every year. His key ingredients for a successful get-together are good friends, great music, tasty food and of course, crowd-pleasing cocktails.
And he knows a lot about the latter: Goggins is a partner in Mulholland Distilling, which makes gin, whiskey, and vodka.
Click here for a peek into a party at the Goggins family home.
Speaking of parties – you could find yourself at one where your drink is made not by a person, but…
A drone.
And why not? We think of drones as a way to deliver packages and take photos, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
So far, the drone still needs human assistance. A bartender needs to pour the ingredients into a shaker, and s/he has to pour the finished cocktail. But the drone can shake or stir it. Click here to see it in action.
Why bother using drones to make cocktails? As Michael Cirino of culinary experience company A Razor/A Shiny Knife says, "the only specific reason we do this is because it's awesome."
You may have heard of the chef Grant Achatz, who owns the famed Alinea restaurant in Chicago. Achatz is known as one of the top molecular gastronomy chefs. He can make a tiny, clear gelatinous square taste like a Chicago-style hotdog with all the fixings. (Yes, really. I’ve tasted one.)
But while many people have heard of Grant, Alinea, or Next (another restaurant), not as many are familiar with The Aviary, his craft cocktail lounge. Drinks are often finished tableside and include cool garnishes and effects. Think smoke boxes, huge port rinds, and more.
The Aviary just opened its first bar outside of Chicago at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City. A cocktail will set you back $19 or more, but if you enjoy interesting (in a good way) flavor combinations and a memorable drinking experience, then you'll find it well worth it. Click here for more details.
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Click here for Cocktail Spy's drink of the month. Or click below to see Booze News from previous months.