The Connoisseurs Club - Jeff Berry

Let me introduce you The Connoisseurs Club for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of attending. The Connoisseurs Club was created by Steven Pattison and Sean Muldoon on 2nd October 2007, the ethos behind it is to create regular seminars that educate and inform the bar tending and brand community. Since its conception it has welcomed 2000 visitors and 20 guest speakers from all over the world.

It is free to attend a seminar, you just have to find your way over to The Merchant in Belfast, which is a beautiful spot and is home to one of the best bars I've ever propped up.

I've been to 4 of the seminars at The Connoisseurs Club and each time the no of people in attendance has grown. The speakers are not paid, but each seminar is sponsored by a different brand. Jeff Berry's seminar on the history of Tiki Cocktails was sponsored by Bacardi.

I was excited about learning the history of Tiki cocktails as so far my research had included drinking my fair share in Trailer H and Mahiki. 

We all met at the Merchant hotel for a large rum and coke and were then ushered on to a double decker bus to a secret venue, the venue turned out to be the music hall at the Queens University, a very majestic setting for such a wonderfully interesting and historic subject. I had never met Jeff Berry before but was instantly dazzled by his amazing Tiki themed jacket, it put the other Hawaiian style shirts to shame.

This is some of what I learnt before the Tiki effect took hold. Tiki drinks were originally exotic of faux tropicals invented by bartenders in Hollywood in the 1930's, the first Tiki period was the 1930's to the 1970's, the Tiki bartenders were the molecular mixologists of their time, Tiki has been enjoying a bit of  a long overdue renaissance for the past few years. 

Imagine Hollywood in the 1930's, the glamour and decadence, bars were built like film sets, in fact art directors created bar design back then.

It was Don the Beachcomber that really put Tiki on the map, he was a legendary mixologist and one of the first pioneers of 'farm to glass'. Don was born in 1907 in New Orleans, his father owned a hotel but at an early age Don travelled the world particularly focusing on Polynesia, Don's grandfather had been a rum runner. Don opened his first Beachcomber bar in Hollywood in 1934. Don created many Tiki cocktails including The Zombie, Don's Daquiri and

 the Mai Tai (although there is much debate as to the true originator). 

Don married Sunny, a model from the mid west, she was the business brain behind Don and turned his bar into a big restaurant, it was the Spago of his day and patronised by Howard Hughes and Charlie Chaplin amongst other big stars.

Of course with any new successful trends, competition became rife and other Polynesian style restaurants started to pop up all over Hollywood, Don's bartenders started to get poached and his cocktail recipes stolen.  Don started to code his recipes, Tiki bartenders all had little black books which were their recipe bibles.

10 years later Victor Bergeron opened a chain of restaurants called Trader Vics, he claims to have invented the Mai Tai although Don claims to have invented this in 1932.

Don moved to Waikiki in Hawaii after World War II and opened another restaurant he also built an elaborate houseboat, the Marama, a prototype for what he hoped would be a floating housing in Hawaii, he eventually shipped it to Moorea where he lived out his retirement.

I am now on a quest to learn more about Tiki and have a new found respect for it. One of the first books I will be reading is Don's very own Hawaii Tropical Drinks and Cuisine.

My evening ended early as I had forgotten how very strong Tiki cocktails are, so I sent myself to bed with the my best Irish Goodbye yet! This was unusual for a Connoisseurs Club, the last one ended in a Country and Western night at The Spaniard.

The next Connoisseurs Club is in June.

LeNell Part 3

So the store is packed up, the apartment is trashed after a most enjoyable party, LeNell still has a ton of stuff to do but LeNell's at 416 Van Brunt Street is now officially closed. The space looks forlorn, there is a sign on the door that says 'We've lost our lease at this location but continue to search for the perfect new home. Thanks for almost 6 beautiful years. I have the best customers in the whole wide world, if you would like to keep up with our news then send an email to info@lenells.com. My heart LeNell.'

The last day of the store was well attended and nearly all her stock got sold, many friends of the store popped in with gifts or amazing nips and drams of whisky. LeNell served one of her legendary punches, played music, hugged people, shouted at people, cried. I also managed to persuade her to take a rather saucy picture to mark the occasion. This in its self was done in typical Smothers style with her happily parading through her shop in some very beautiful underwear (that was designed by a customer who designs knickers for Hustler) and then waving at people as they walked whilst she was buck naked in the bath tub that used to be full of gin. We had her friend and professional photographer Scott Baker on hand to take the pics.

I asked LeNell what she had learnt. She said that its important to have a good accountant and lawyer, she had tried to do both on her own when she opened the store and she now realises that she can't do everything by herself. Her store was the coming together of lots of different elements and a large dash of magic. LeNell mused on her identity being so wrapped up with the store but in fact LeNell is far more known now for her character, bourbon knowledge and adventurous spirit than any building. LeNell feels that due to her virgo nature she often has tunnel vision especially when in pursuit of a goal. Losing the lease reminded her that life is about people and that nothing exists without them, a lot of people gave their time and energy to her store and her business over the last 6 years and she could never have done it without them.

The following evening she had a small gathering which was entitled 'LeNell's send off to the world of the uncut cock'. Friends and customers gathered at her home to enjoy more punch, lots of bacon, bourbon cake, vintage porn cartoons and a jeroboam of champagne which she sabered out on the street. She also debuted her new stripper thigh high boots which will be travelling to London and Amsterdam with her.

There will be a new LeNell's in the future and she will be putting a new space to even better use, for now she is off to Europe to travel, learn and clear her head and heart, she is also going to the Whisky Live Icons of Whisky awards to pick up her third award 'US Retailer of the year single outlet'.  There will be more on travels with LeNell soon, if you're in Portobello on the 4th March come down the Star for Lady and the Tramp (you will be surprised as to whose who) to see LeNell and myself making drinks under the watchful eye of Jake Burger.

LeNell Part 2

Greetings from Red Hook in Brooklyn, I arrived late Wednesday night and had the lovely surprise of finding Miss Misty Kalkofen of LUPEC Boston hanging with LeNell at the store. The store is looking

 empty but still very much loved. 

LeNell, myself and Misty relocated to LeNell's apartment and put the world to rights for a few hours whilst eating liqueur chocolates, cheese and drinking Duchess cocktails made my Lenell. 

I awoke on Thursday morning to Earl Grey tea and home cooked muffins, yep she bakes too. I also had a good look around her amazing apartment and her impressive drinks cabinet/shelves and book shelves. I'm currently reading a book called Dirty Helen which tells the story of a bar owner Helen Cromwell, sometimes Madame, who owned the Sunflower Inn in Milwaukee between the 1930's and 50's. She served only bourbon and scotch and had no seats just a very plush carpet for her guests to sit on.

We then went to the store to do the final cleaning, packing away and hopefully sell off the last few bottles. LeNell's store has 

been a real labour of love from start to finish, as we packed away various items, I realised that everything in this magical store has a story. I started with the chandalier, this had been in her house in Alabama. The building of the store dates back to early the 1900's no official date has been found, its a large square space with a kitchen out back and a large basement.

When LeNell got the store she put paper up on the windows one day and spent a day or 2 by herself stripping the plaster of the walls to expose the brick work, she discovered the original ceiling and restored it to its former glory. She spent 2 months removing the modern linoleum and exposing the beautiful hand tiled floor. In total it took her 5 months to get the store open.

Bottles are displayed in beautiful antique cabinets, an old bath tub is her gin display.

People came in and out of the store all day and the endless questions of 'what's happening?' and 'where you moving to?' are tiring but also highlight how well loved the store is and how it has become a real highlight of the neighbourhood. LeNell's opened on the 13th September 2003 (LeNell's birthday) and the area was very different then, the area 'came' up around LeNell's store and is now peppered with smart restaurants, wine bars and antique stores. The range at LeNell's has always been amazing and many a bartender over the years have made a pilgramage out there to find rare bitters and cocktail ingredients. LeNell's was also a centre of education with the good and the great of the spirit world holding masterclasses and tastings.

The end of Thursday ended with an unnecessary official eviction notice from her landlord, he seems like a sensitive charmer?! LeNell took it on the chin and served the last few customers with her normal charm and grace. Tomorrow is the final day of trading eased with a big bowl of punch to say 'until the next time' to her customers.

Ohhh check out LeNell's new haircut and tattoo for her European adventures.

LeNell Smothers

A couple of years ago I was in New York on a work trip and I had the pleasure of meeting Miss LeNell Smothers. I had heard of her liquor store, LeNell's, a well kept secret by the global bartender community but had never encountered her in the flesh. She has a rather outrageous reputation that proceeds her but I was intrigued to meet this much talked/gossiped about woman.

We met at restaurant before hitting a few bars and in person she was much more demure that I had expected. LeNell is born and bred Alabama, she has the most awesome Southern twang that is charming even when she is regaling you with lewd stories, of which she has many. The below is copied from her latest bulletin regarding her store and her words are better than mine.

'Over eight years ago, this starry eyed country girl came to New York just hoping to some day get her foot in the door of the booze business in the big bad City. I never dreamed that a short while later this ole gal that grew up around a hog farm and a chicken hatchery would be able to say that she shared a sunset with her hero Dale Degroff in the Rainbow Room and helped Christian Moeuix of Chateau Petrus pour wine at a tasting on Madison Avenue. The memorable moments with people I had only admired from afar back in Alabama are too numerous to recount here. Many dear friendships enriched the journey to success.

Near six years go I signed a lease to open my shop in Red Hook. My time in this current space is officially coming to an end, celebrating the grande finale at 416 Van Brunt, Friday Feb 20th from 12pm-9pm'

I'm flying to New York on Wednesday 18th February to spend the last few days of the current site of LeNell's with its name sake, I will be blogging regularly throughout my trip with what we get up to and then she is hitting Europe! Whilst she's here do come down the Portobello Star for The Lady and the Tramp on Wednesday 4th March 2009.

My First Class of Bikram Yoga

As the title of this blog includes the word 'yoga' I should probably introduce you all to the world of Bikram yoga and tell you about my first class which was nearly 4 years ago. I had been training for my 2nd marathon and my body was in bits.

I was introduced to Bikram yoga by a friend who had done one class and become quite hooked, I had vaguely heard about it and the only thing that had really registered was that it was done in a room that was heated to 105 degrees, it sounded quite ridiculous but intriguing none the less.

I arrived, as nearly all Bikram rookies, in proper sweat pants and a t-shirt, I was slightly amazed at how skimpy the clothing was of some of the other attendees, some in just bikinis. I lay down on my mat with my 2 litre bottle of water and didn't really know what to expect. I must admit at this stage vanity had brought me to a Bikram yoga studio, my friend had informed me that it was a fast track route to weight loss and toning up. 

Bikram yoga is a 90 minute class comprising of 26 postures that are repeated twice, the room is heated to 105 degrees to both protect you from injury and increase flexibility. Bikram's thinking was that this would replicate the climate in India and make it easier for Westerners.

Bikram yoga was invented by Bikram Choudray in 1965, it is a series based on hatha yoga which he had learned since he was a young boy. Bikram yoga is designed to heal your body inside and out, Bikram's theory is that if you heal the body the mind will follow. The series is designed to heal knees, backs, blood pressure, cholesterol amongst pretty much everything else. Some pretty big claims but from my experience and the many testimonials on the web he could just be on to something.

The teacher came in and introduced herself, she was Francesca, who at the time co-owned the studio. She was very tall, lean and glamorous, everything you would wish for and expect from a yoga teacher, she also had incredible energy. She explained to us nubies that the room would get hotter, that we were to take it easy, drink water after the warm up when we wanted but above all we must stay in the room, even if it was in a sweaty, hyperventilating puddle on the floor. Bikram yoga is a dialogue lead class and its very important that you stay with the dialogue and don't try and rush ahead of the teacher. In an ideal class everyone moves together and the energy is amazing.

Half the series is done standing and half on the floor, I had no idea what to expect other than that it was 90 mins long. I had naively thought all the positions would be impossible and everyone would be bending themselves into pretzels. Bikram yoga is as much about strength and stamina as it is about flexibility. The first couple of postures weren't too difficult but the heat was something else, I could barely breathe and within minutes rivers of sweat were dripping off me, this was somehow very cathartic and spurred me on to the next postures.

The third posture in the warm up series is awkward pose, never was a posture more aptly named, award pose is incredibly difficult both mentally and physically and I still struggle with it 4 years later, this is apparently because its the posture I need the most, urgh!

I staggered and grimaced through the standing series, glared daggers at the friend that had bought me, slipped on my mat, felt like running out of the room (still get that feeling when particularly hungover) and generally prayed I was anywhere but in that hot room with the other Bikram nutters.

The beginning of the floor series starts with a 2 minute savanasa, this is 'dead body pose' and never had hard ground felt so good, I had also accidentally placed myself near the door which the teacher kindly opened, the breeze was like angel kisses. The floor series was an exercise in concentration and 'stay in the room' but somehow I managed to get through the whole class, I had had moments of 'this is the most insane thing I've ever done' and 'these people are all nuts, I'm never coming back'. Explaining to Bikram virgins that Bikram yoga is one of the most intense full on work outs imaginable is difficult, as did I, most people think that yoga is a tree huggy, navel gazing pursuit of pierced and dread locked drop outs. Bikram yoga has been described as type A personality yoga. Athletes now combine their training with Bikram yoga and I have never experienced a work out where you heart is pounding but your breath is total measured and controlled.

Somehow though at the end of the class as I lay in the final savanasa, in the dark, with the air cooling around me I felt an amazing euphoric feeling of both peace and accomplishment (not to mention a healthy amount of pounding endorphins). I realised for the first time in years I had been entirely 'present' for 90 minutes. I tend to live my life in the future as in 'what's going to happen next?'. The freedom of being 'present' is quite profound.

Needless to say I returned to Bikram soon after but its only in the last year that my practice has become regular (at least 5 times per week) and that I'm really finally even beginning to get my head round what its really all about.

Bikram yoga for me is the perfect ying to my drinks trade yang, the detoxing effects are wonderfully efficient and the lessons it has taught me in the last year and the noticeable affect it has had on my body speak for themselves. I have never been fitter, less stressed, softer skinned (great side affect of sweating each day) or balanced in all areas of my life. My yoga practice has guided me through some trying times and that 90 minutes of freedom each day frees up so much space in my life for other positive things to flood in.

There are 10 studios in London and over 600 around the world, go to www.bikramyoga.com to find a class near you, go on, you won't regret it! The class is the same where ever you go in the world, I have practiced in London, New York, Miami, LA, San Fran, Chicago, Boston, Washington and Tokyo. 

I will write about my adventures in Bikram yoga again including a very special retreat in the South of France which I will be attending for the 2nd year this year www.lux-yoga.com.

Namaste (the light in me sees the light in you).

Mixology Monday - 'Broaden your horizons'

Mixology Monday is hosted today by A Mixed Dram, the theme is 'Broaden your horizons.'

So this is my first Mixology Monday and as I am not of bartender background I do not feel I have the knowledge or authority to write about this from a cocktail perspective so instead I'm going to write about how I am broadening my horizons in terms of learning how to bar tend properly with Jake Burger. 

I have worked with Wines and Spirits for the last 17 years, the last 7 being with the highly accoladed Martin Miller's Gin and although I can tell you about marketing strategy, event planning, distribution I've always left the art of cocktail making to the professionals

even to the point of being able to travel with Martin Miller's Gin own mixologists. One of my new year's resolutions for 2009 was to learn how to make drinks properly, I feel that as a brand person its a very important, and sometimes lacking, part of our education.

One very late night in New York with Jake, amongst other animals, we hatched the plan that I would start to bar back for him in the New Year and learn the art of making drinks and bar tending. In my opinion there are two key elements to being a great bartender, firstly the ability to make tasty well balanced drinks and secondly and most importantly the ability to 'chat' to your customers and make sure that every part of their experience at your bar is positive.

Let me firstly tell you about Mr Jake Burger. I first met Jake in Leeds about 4 and a half years ago, it was just before he opened Jake's Bar on Call Lane. I have spent many an enjoyable night at Jake's Bar, it's one of those bars that is a time bandit and before you know it the sun is coming up. Actually I have now realised that it isn't Jake's Bar, its Jake, the man himself that has this affect. 

Jake started his career in 1992 working at a bar called Ikes Bistro which at the time was the only proper cocktail bar in Leeds. The first drink he ever made was a 'Transplant' made up of gin, Bacardi, creme de menthe, orange juice and pineapple (don't try that one at home). He is pretty much self taught but over the last 17 years he has won numerous cocktail competitions including the Smirnoff Penka 'perfect cut' diamond competition, Blantons bartender of the year, Leeds Guide bartender of the year, Belvedere 2nd place in world final and most importantly Elements 8 Rum Pina Colada King!

There is also now the Portobello Star, his London home. This opened in November 2008 and has fast become a big industry hang out as well as local haunt of Notting Hill locals. 

My first lesson with Jake was on a quiet Tuesday evening. As we are often drinking partners we had agreed that the first few lessons would not involve any drinking (unless educational). We started off by cleaning all the bottles on the back bar, Jake instructed me that its important I know something about each product in his bar. We got through Gin, Vodka, Liqueurs, Tequila, Vermouth and bitters in about 3 hours. Jake is a bit of yoda when it comes to bitters and has an extremely rare bottle of Bokers bitters and Abbotts bitters. I learn all sorts of interesting facts about both much loved brands and new brands and realise some home study will enhance my knowledge. I'm also there to generally clear up and watch Jake make drinks. I think it will be a number of weeks before I'm let loose with a cocktail shaker but am looking forward to lesson no 2 next week. Jake is a great teacher and is the right combination of fun and interesting, if only all my teachers had tried teaching me lessons from behind a bar.

The only question I ask myself is why I didn't get behind the bar earlier? I think it is an essential part of my drinks industry education and would encourage all brand people to broaden their horizons in this way.

Soulfruits

So I find myself at 5.30am on a fairly chilly Tuesday morning pulling into Covent Garden Fruit and Veg market, I somehow had always romanticised this place, kind of expecting the scene from My Fair Lady where her father is singing ‘I’m getting married in the morning’ through a Victorian Covent Garden market. The reality is a little different but fascinating none-the-less. I was lucky enough to be invited by those clever guys from Soulshakers to visit the market to learn all about their new venture Soulfruits.

One of the many things we take for granted when sitting at a bar ordering a cocktail, or I do anyway, is the many different components and ingredients that make up my gimlet or daiquiri. Fruit obviously plays a very important part in many cocktails and how that fruit is prepared and the quality has a big impact on the taste of the drink. In the same way I care about the quality of the spirit as the base of my cocktail I also should care about the fruit.

Soulshakers do around 25 big events/festivals per year ranging from Glastonbury to small independent parties. They use fruit, at all of these events and a lot of fruit too. They estimate that last year they spent around £35,000 on fruit.

All great ideas and business connections normally start with a social interaction, Giles Looker of Soulshakers plays cricket and about 9 months ago met Andreas Georghiou playing cricket. Andreas has been in the fruit and veg business for around 20 years and being that Soulshakers use a lot of fruit they started to buy it through Andreas. After a particularly heavy weekend of fruit buying for an event, they realised that they might be missing a trick and started to investigate with Andreas the possibility of creating a premium fruit supplier to cocktail bars in London.

Despite the early hour the market was actually closing for that day’s business. They start at midnight. I walked around the many different stalls chatting to the fruit ‘dealers’. The Soulshakers guys knew everyone and who had the best mangoes, limes, grapefruits. They had clearly been on a steep learning curve and I gleamed a small amount of their knowledge. The best limes normally come from Mexico in terms of colour and yield but Brazilian ones are very juicy too although sometimes on the light side. We tried some delicious mango that had ripened on the tree rather than on the boat and was therefore 3 times more expensive but also three times more tasty. The best strawberries come from Egypt generally and strawberries stop ripening as soon as they are picked. I’m always a little concerned that the strawberries that I buy in UK supermarkets seems to last forever and are almost indestructible.

I also met Dennis who had the best grapefruits and I will be chatting to him some more about pineapples (I have a thing about pineapples but that will be another blog).

Now like the rest of their business model, Soulshakers don’t want to take over the world, they want to continue doing what they do to the best of their abilities. Whereas other companies may over extend themselves too quickly, Soulshakers have always worked within the parameters of enjoying what they do and making sure they execute to the highest standard, this rings true of the ethos behind Soulfruits.

So towards the end of last year they formed Soulfruits between the 3 Soulshaker guys, Giles, Michael, Kevin and Andreas. They want to be able to provide a premium fruit supply business to a select no of bars that care about the quality of their fruit and also offer alternative ranges for those who are more quality focused than cost.

They are aiming for 20 – 25 accounts, they already have Mahiki (Papa Jules was with us picking out his fruit for the day), Quo Vadis and potentially the Match Group.

Giles said that they want to provide a real personal service and connection with each account, rather like mixers and ice before them, they are aiming to be the premium end of the fruit supply business.

Soulfruits also supply squeezed juice to order and I visited the squeezing lab, where the great and the good spend the whole night squeezing limes, lemons etc… This is not some big stainless steel commercial machine squeezing line, these guys do it on domestic squeezers by hand, again this ensures the best quality although Michael (Butt) still advocates hand squeezing on the premises for cocktail bars. I suggested that for naughty bartenders who misbehave at the festivals this year this should be their punishment, a night on the squeezing line, so watch out!

From reading through their bumf, they have 3 kinds of pineapples, 4 kinds of grapefruits and 3 different Clementine’s. They will also send out a weekly fruit report to their customers, with market prices, harvest information and provenance.

Ordering is simple, just call them on 0208 995 0140 or fax them on 0208 747 0274 before 5am to receive your order that day, you can also email them orders@soulfruits.co.uk. They 

will soon have SMS too.