Repeal Day 2009 in Chicago

This coming Saturday, December 5th, is the 76th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. On December 5, 1933, Utah (yes, Utah) ratified the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving the needed 3/4 majority to end the thirteen year drought of legal spirits in the U.S.

On Saturday, whether you're at home, or out with friends raise a toast to Repeal Day. If you're going out in Chicago, here are a few options that night for celebrations:

• The Drawing Room, 937 N. Rush - the Chicago Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (aka Chicago LUPEC, of which I am President) will be gathering there for classic cocktails in celebration of the day at 7 pm, and all (21+) are welcome to join the informal celebration. Look for special cocktails and more at this great cocktail bar.
  

• Custom House, 500 S. Dearborn - This great restaurant and bar is celebrating the occasion all day (11a-11p) with $5 cocktails honoring the occasion. The cocktails are made with small-batch Midwest spirits, and include choices like the Rock 'n Rye and the "Bathtub" Gin Rickey (made with our No. 11 - can't wait to try it!).
  

• In Fine Spirits Lounge, 5420 N. Clark - Join the folks from Templeton Rye (reputedly Al Capone's favorite) in a period-themed celebration of classic cocktails at this great cocktail lounge in Andersonville.
  

• Sage Grille, 260 Greenbay Road in Highwood - you'll find a menu of classic pre-Prohibition cocktails for the occasion at this great restaurant, and you'll be in a historic neighborhood for restaurants, where many a moonshiner made hooch during Prohibition in the back alleys.
  

Regardless of where you are, or what you're doing, I hope you'll raise a toast to this most American, most appropriate drinking holiday. Cheers!

Repeal Day in Chicago!

The lovely Audarshia over the 312 Dining Diva posted a great wrap-up of all the Repeal Day festivities going on in the Windy City this Friday night, December 5th. Rather than rewriting the list, I thought I'd just link to hers!

I hope you'll make it to one or more of these great events, but if you don't, please raise a toast to the occasion!

Here's where I'll be, proudly wearing my LUPEC Chicago code name:

Act I: Clark Street Ale House - Informal Happy Hour
742 N. Clark, Chicago
6.00-9.00 PM, Friday Dec 5th

Act II: The Drawing Room - Come Party Like it’s 1933
937 N. Rush, Chicago
10.00 pm on, Fri Dec 5th

A portion of the proceeds from all purchases of food & drink at these events will be donated to the Greenhouse Shelter in Chicago.

I'm also going to try and visit my friends at Spring and In Fine Spirits, they have some fun stuff planned too! So many great parties, so little time...

Repeal Day in Chicago

Unfortunately, the word about celebrating Repeal Day has not really caught on in the Windy City. I was in bars and liquor stores all over town on the magic day, and almost no one I encountered was aware that it was Repeal Day (and a few didn't know what it meant).

Despite this, we decided that we should have our own cocktail bar tour to honor the day, and we had a fantastic time (and made some great plans for next year). Here's are a few highlights.

First Stop: Weber Grill Restaurant, 539 N. State, Chicago
I spent the day in the city, and had a little time to kill before my hubby would arrive by train. So why not visit our friends at the Weber Grill and try that Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection bourbon that's been calling my name whenever I see the menu?

This one says its was transferred to a a French oak chardonnay barrel after 6 years, and was 14 years old at bottling. It claims to be from a sour rye mash. It was bottled at 45% alcohol.

Tasting notes: The nose was very heavy with alcohol, more so than most spirits I smell. Adding some water seemed to help, but it still had a strong alcohol note. On first sip, it really didn't taste much like bourbon - it was a bit peaty and much drier than most bourbons. It was definitely fruity and spicy, with caramel notes. Not sure how I feel about this one. Anyone else tried it?

Next Stop: The Drawing Room at Le Passage, 937 N. Rush, Chicago
Eric Felten (of the Wall Street Journal) was in town to sign copies of his book, How's Your Drink? What an appropriate event for Repeal Day! We had some amazing cocktails at the Drawing Room - they do everything by hand, using only fresh ingredients. On an regular night, they would even do it tableside - they have portable bars. How cool is that? Here are a few pics from the signing.

And yes, I need to work on my photography skills - I know you all wanted to see Eric Felten's back (photo at left). But I did get a great shot of Charles making a Brandy Crusta!




It was quite cold on this night, so we didn't want to go far. We headed off to 676 Restaurant, 676 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago for a quick bite to eat (it was great).

It was late, and it was a school night, so we headed home. Of course, we also made some plans for next year's Repeal Day... more on that later!

Mixology Monday - Repeal Day!

Its another Mixology Monday, and this month's theme is Repeal Day. Our host is Jeffrey Morgenthaler, the creator of the Repeal Day website and a great mixologist, writer and blogger in his own right.

For a quick history on Repeal Day (December 5th), which marks the anniversary of the end of Prohibition in the U.S.A., please visit the official Repeal Day site. Jeffrey has done a terrific job setting out what its all about, so no need to repeat it here.

Being in Chicago, which was one of the hotbeds of the alcohol business during Prohibition, I struggled with what to write (plus its been a very busy week). I decided on a couple of cocktails, one for "hooch" and a decent one from the Prohibition era.

"Hooch" Cocktail Recipe

My trusty copy of the Savoy Cocktail Book contains a section I've never visited before, entitled "Cocktails Suitable for a Prohibition Country" (p. 184). One of these cocktails is similar to other drinks I've made, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Mr. Manhattan Cocktail

Crush 1 lump of sugar in a little water

Crush 4 leaves of fresh mint

1 Dash Lemon Juice

4 Dashes Orange Juice

1 Glass Gin

Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.

Since this was suggested as a cocktail to make in a Prohibition country (the next one in the book actually calls for "hooch whisky"), I decided to make it with the gin in my collection that I like the very least. I guess I won't call it out by name (okay, I will - its Leyden Gin).

How was it?

Eh. It was better when we made it with a better gin, but it was only so-so. It seemed like it would require some tinkering to get it where you'd want to make it over and over again.

Another Fun Cocktail from the Prohibition Era

Just for fun, I thought I'd throw in a cocktail that I often enjoy that was created in the early 1920s, most likely by Harry McElhone (per Ted Haigh's excellent tome, Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails). As a few other bloggers found, there doesn't seem to be much other use for that bottle of Parfait Amour I bought awhile back, so I make this drink periodically.

Jupiter Cocktail (modified)

2 oz Dry Gin

1 oz Dry Vermouth

2 tsp Parfait Amour

2 tsp Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into cocktail glass. Do measure the ingredients on this one!

Happy Repeal Day, don't forget the toast on December 5th!

Note: pictures in this post are from www.old-pictures.com and www.istockphoto.com. I'm having some photo difficulties and wanted to get this up by midnight my time!