Chilled Magazine | Nicole DiGiose

Chilled Magazine: The History of the Hot Toddy

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

Pretty much the adult version of chicken soup, the Hot Toddy is known to be the go-to drink when you’re feeling under the weather, or the perfect potion to wind down with on a chilly, rainy night. Typically a mixed drink made of liquor, water, sugar and spices and served hot, this comforting classic is traditionally sipped on before going to bed.

Image via jackdaniels.com.

Believed to relieve the symptoms of the cold and flu with its nutritious vitamin C, soothing honey and numbing alcohol, steaming mugs of Hot Toddies are saviors once the air becomes chilly and the days grow dark. While the Hot Toddy is most commonly associated with whiskey as the base ingredient, since at least the 17^th century it’s been made with a multitude of different spirits, and years ago, that usually depended on where you were from.

Traditional Scottish preparation of the Hot Toddy involves the mixture of whiskey, boiling water and sugar or honey, along with additional ingredients such as cloves, a lemon slice or cinnamon (in stick or ground form). In the Midwestern United States, a common version uses ginger ale, lemon, honey and bourbon whiskey. In some parts of Canada, heated ginger ale, honey and either whiskey or brandy was originally used to make a Hot Toddy. Today popular variations of this flexible drink include the Hot Gin Toddy, the Hot Apple Toddy, and the Grand Rum Toddy. Read More

Journalism

Meet Kevin O’Brien—He’s More Than Your Ordinary Bartender

Aside | Posted on August 2, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for the October issue of Chilled Magazine.

After recovering from his lung transplant in 2007, Kevin O’Brien had no intention of returning to bartending. It wasn’t that living with cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract, held him down, he was just focused on succeeding in radio broadcasting. After all, he had his BA in Mass Communications and back then, bartending was just a side job.

It wasn’t until 2010 when O’Brien got back behind the bar, after his cousin, a manager at Kodiak’s Restaurant and Bar in Farmingdale, New York was in need of an experienced bartender.

“He got me a spot there and I realized how little I knew and began learning more about mixology, craft beer, and hospitality,” O’Brien said. “After a year at Kodiak’s I decided to stop working in radio and commit to learning more about the bar business.”

According to O’Brien, living with cystic fibrosis makes what he wants to do all the more special. Before his surgery in 2007, he would go to work as a bartender with his oxygen tank even when his lung function was plummeting below 10%. Read More

The History of the Harvey Wallbanger

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

No matter how many you have, you’ll never forget the Harvey Wallbanger. With one of the most memorable names, this drink has made quite the splash in cocktail history.

According to mixology mythology, this classic was named after a surfer in the 1950s. After losing out on a surfing competition in California, the saddened surfer, Tom Harvey, swung by a bar he often frequented and ordered his favorite mixed drink: orange juice and vodka laced with Galliano. As he downed glasses upon glasses of his favorite concoction, he banged his head against the wall out of frustration from the loss. From that day on, his beloved drink became known as the Harvey Wallbanger.

The Harvey Wallbanger cocktail. Image via examiner.com.

Longstanding legend has it that the bartender who first mixed the soothing cocktail was Donato “Duke” Antone, who ran Duke’s Blackwatch Bar on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood in 1952. Antone was known to be a topnotch bartender, but the Wallbanger didn’t become popular until the early 1970s. This was because of George Bednar, the marketing director of McKesson Imports Co., an importing company that handled Galliano, who found out about the cocktail and its story and advertised it as a replacement for the Bloody Mary during brunch. Late in 1969, the sandal-wearing, stressed-looking cartoon Harvey Wallbanger mascot was born, and his famous line was, “Harvey Wallbanger is the name and I can be made!” Read More

The History of the Cuba Libre

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

Known in the United States as the classic rum and Coke, the Cuba Libre is among the most popular of drinks. It can be found anywhere, from inside the plastic cups of college students to the local bar to high-end fancy resorts. It’s refreshing, it’s delicious, and it’s simple to make.

Though it’s loved around the world by people of all ages, the story behind this famous cocktail’s origin is a bit murky. Most accounts agree that it dates back to Havana around 1900, after the Spanish-American War, which began and ended in 1898 and led to Cuban independence. The name of the drink, Cuba Libre, means “Free Cuba,” which was the battle cry of the Cuban Liberation Army. Read More

A Sweet Way to Chill

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

Looking for a sweet way to cool down? To welcome the sunny skies, Manhattan’s signature rooftop bar, Loopy Doopy, is serving up its best seasonal cocktails, prepared with a fun new twist bursting with flavor: fruit aromatic ice cubes.

Sip on a deliciously mixed drink dressed in fruit-flavored ice cubes as you soak in breathtaking views of the Hudson River and downtown Manhattan from 16 stories up. Make a splash with an assortment of seasonal ice cubes, made with fresh fruit purees, including raspberry for Loopy Doopy’s Pear Berry Lemonade cocktail, or lime for their refreshing margarita. Want to add an herbal bite to your cocktail? Purple basil and mint ice cubes are also available. No matter the flavor, these delectable cubes are sure to enhance any summer cocktail. Read More

Unwind with CHAOS

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

The next time you have a chaotic day, kick back with CHAOS COCKTAILS and let it all go. Enjoy a refreshing natural flavor, low in sugar, carbs, and calories.

Created by Texas entrepreneur, Lesley Sarkesian, CHAOS COCKTAILS is the country’s first twist & serve, low-calorie, low-carb vodka cocktail complemented with 26 natural citrus and berry flavors. With a vision to create contemporary products to “control chaos,” Sarkesian has blended the perfect concoction and wrapped it up in sleek, vibrant packaging. CHAOS COCKTAILS brings the taste of the pre-mixed cocktail to a soaring new level.

Image via chaoscocktails.com

Get Ready For SIA

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

After having a love affair with Scotch for 10 years, Carin Luna-Ostaseski decided she wanted to grow her passion into a business. The idea came to her about a year ago, when she was organizing and running Scotch tasting events in San Francisco.

Luna-Ostaseski enjoyed introducing Scotch as a category, and for those who were familiar with it, she presented new brands to them. “One of my biggest joys is seeing how this lights up people’s eyes when they find something they really enjoy,” she said. She collected feedback by paying attention to people’s initial reactions, and from there, began running blind tastings, where she took her blends of existing brands to gather additional feedback. After realizing what the desired flavor profile was, Luna-Ostaseski approached her importer, Spirits Imports, Inc., to begin the search for a distiller, which led her to the independent bottler, Douglas McGibbon & Co. Ltd.

Carin Luna-Ostaseski with her SIA Scotch Whisky. Photo credit: Sarah Peet Photography (www.sarahpeetphotography.com).

There’s No Stopping the Hennessy Fanatic

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

It’s been eight years since Hennessy fanatic, Don Henny, began his Hennessy collection. With a total inventory of 387 bottles, he shows no signs of stopping, and it’s not just bottles he proudly displays everywhere in his home in Belgium. This enthusiast grabs anything Hennessy he can get his hands on.

Henny, whose real name is Olivier, began drinking cognac 10 years ago, and immediately fell for the different flavors. Not long after, he found himself storing Hennessy bottles. He started off sticking to his regulars, like the VS, VSOP, XO, and Paradis, and every once in a while, would buy something special, and that’s what fueled his collecting. “I buy different bottles weekly,” Henny says. “I collect everything from Hennessy. I’ve even got the logo painted on a wall in my house.”

Don’ Henny’s Hennessy collection.

His loyalty remains with Hennessy because of their many attractive bottle designs and various tastes. Though it’s difficult to choose, his favorite bottles are Private Reserve 1865, the XO Grande Champagne, and the Napoléon. Read More

The History of the White Lady

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

Light and luscious, the White Lady was all the rage in America during the early 20^th century. Because this classy cocktail shares a similar make up to other members of the sour family, it’s often referred to as a gin margarita or a gin sidecar.

The White Lady was first shaken up by Scottish barman, Harry Macelhone. He created the cocktail at his own bar, Harry’s New York Bar, in Paris, in 1919. The concoction was made up of 1/6th Brand, 1/6th Crème de Menthe, and 2/3rd Cointreau. In 1930, a famous and well respected American cocktail barman, Harry Craddock, of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, had the White Lady’s recipe published in the Savoy Cocktail Book. Craddock listed the drink as a cocktail crafted with dry gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice. His version is accepted as the standard recipe today, and as far as documenting goes, the Savoy Cocktail Book takes credit for the pearly beauty. In the 1930s, the White Lady was favored so much that a pre-bottled version of it was sold.

There are several other early incarnations of a cocktail named the “White Lady” but, according to Tanqueray Global Brand Ambassador, Angus Winchester, “They are generally undrinkable.” Read More

Rob Roy

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

According to bartending legend, the Rob Roy was created in 1894 by a bartender at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City. The cocktail was named in honor of the premiere of Rob Roy, an operetta written by composer Reginald De Koven. The show was based off the folk hero and outlaw, Robert Roy MacGregor, or simply put, Rob Roy. Both the operetta and the drink were equally successful, but the cocktail has long outperformed De Koven’s famous show.

The recipe for the Rob Roy, which uses Scotch whisky as its primary spirit, mixed with sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, an addition to the drink, first appeared in The Savoy Book, published by The Savoy Hotel of London in 1930. It mentions the drink’s popularity in Scotland, especially in honor of the fictional Rob Roy, also known as the Scottish version of Robin Hood.

The Rob Roy is similar to the king of cocktails, the Manhattan, but is made exclusively with Scotch whisky instead of rye or bourbon. It’s common to think the Rob Roy stole the Manhattan’s recipe (Rob Roy was a bandit, you know), and is nothing more than a Manhattan made with scotch. Sometimes it’s even referred to as a Scotch Manhattan. Basically, that’s what it is, but that one switch of rye or bourbon for scotch in the mix makes for a whole different taste, as most whiskey drinkers will be sure to point out. For most, the Rob Roy tends to be drier, with a smoky texture, and not as smooth or sweet as the Manhattan, but the Scotch really emphasizes the flavors and aromas of the vermouths. Because it’s got such a strong flavor, the Rob Roy makes for a great afternoon cocktail, on its own, or as an after dinner beverage. Read More