Now that you have a Step Up home bar you may want to add few items that will take your home bar and transform it into a Deluxe bare bones bar.
HARDWARE
Coasters - here the prices vary widely so let's assume $25 for set of 8 very nice coasters. Simple cork coasters can be had for about $2 a piece.
GLASSES
Whiskey Tumblers - if you decide to go high class get crystal tumblers making sure that the glass contains 24% lead. Expect to pay at least $15 - $20 each. Simple glass tumblers sell for about $4 each.
Cognac Glasses - Get the larger cognac glasses that hold about 8 oz. Crystal cognac glasses look cool but just like above expect to pay at least $15 - $20 each. Simple glass cognac glasses sell for about $4 each.
LIQUOR
Single Malt Scotch Whiskey - I suggest you start with 12 year old The Glenlivet, about $40. Good but more expensive alternative is 12 year old Macallan, about $65.
Cognac - I suggest Hennessy VS 750, about $45 or Martell VS, about $35.
LIQUERS
There is a wide variety of liquers on the market and they all have two things in common - they are sweet and they are expensive. I recommend you have only two or three if you must have them at all.
Limoncello - this Italian lemon liquer and also acts as an after dinner drink and digestive, about $20.
Curacao - an orange liquer, originally from Dutch West Indies, about $15.
Crème de Menthe - green peppermint liquer that can be used in refreshing cocktails or on its own straight or with club soda, about $15.
And now your Bare Bones Home Bar is complete.
Friday, June 01, 2018
Monday, February 12, 2018
STEP UP BARE BONES HOME BAR
Last time we discussed Bare Bones Home Bar for those of you who wanted to establish your own home bar but didn't have an idea how. We have established a bare bones home bar for under $200.
Today we will look at a Step Up from Bare Bones bar. Just one step up on a budget. Here is a list of additional items you should consider.
Once again look at discount stores first to shop for hardware. Here is what you need for a Step Up Bar:
HARDWARE
Ice Bucket and Tongs - get the one with the plastic insulation insert. It keeps the ice longer than just regular steel or aluminum bucket. They cost a bit more but are worth it, about $20.
Wine Bottle Ring - when you pour wine from a bottle you always have a spill or drip, prevent the drip by using a wine bottle ring, a ring lined with absorbent fabric such as felt, about $5.
GLASSES
Champagne Flutes - narrow and tall flutes are a must for champagne and related cocktails, about $10 for set of 4.
MIXERS
Here you can go haywire but I suggest just a few additional mixers.
Cranberry Juice
Pinneapple Juice
Orgeat Juice
Bloody Mary Mix
LIQUOR
Scotch Whiskey - absolute must for a step up bar. White Horse is a good budget choice, about $18.
Brandy - stick with American brandy, Paul Masson Grande Amber VSOP Brandy, about $15.
Coffee Liquer - here I suggest Copa d'Oro, about $10.
Sherry - try Harvey's Bristol Cream, about $12.
After Dinner Liquer - here you have a wild choice but all after dinner liquers have one thing in common, they are expensive! I suggest you get either B&B or Drambuie, about $35.
MODIFIERS
Sweet Vermouth - just like with dry vermouth, Martini i Rossi is the obvious choice with Gallo being the alternative choice, about $12.
WINES
White Wine
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, about $12
Santa Rita 120 Reserva Especial Chardonnay, about $9
Rodney Strong Sonoma County Chardonnay, about $14
Red Wine
Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot, about $15
Beringer Founder's Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, about $10
Badia a Coltibuono Cetamura Chianti, about $12
Sparkling Wine (Champagne)
Best for toasts: Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava, about $10
Best for cocktails: Cupcake Vinyards Prosecco D.O.C., about $14
If you get everything listed above you will have shelled out about $250 on top of the $200 for the bare bones home bar. Small prize to pay for living the good life, in my humble opinion.
Today we will look at a Step Up from Bare Bones bar. Just one step up on a budget. Here is a list of additional items you should consider.
Once again look at discount stores first to shop for hardware. Here is what you need for a Step Up Bar:
HARDWARE
Ice Bucket and Tongs - get the one with the plastic insulation insert. It keeps the ice longer than just regular steel or aluminum bucket. They cost a bit more but are worth it, about $20.
Wine Bottle Ring - when you pour wine from a bottle you always have a spill or drip, prevent the drip by using a wine bottle ring, a ring lined with absorbent fabric such as felt, about $5.
GLASSES
Champagne Flutes - narrow and tall flutes are a must for champagne and related cocktails, about $10 for set of 4.
MIXERS
Here you can go haywire but I suggest just a few additional mixers.
Cranberry Juice
Pinneapple Juice
Orgeat Juice
Bloody Mary Mix
LIQUOR
Scotch Whiskey - absolute must for a step up bar. White Horse is a good budget choice, about $18.
Brandy - stick with American brandy, Paul Masson Grande Amber VSOP Brandy, about $15.
Coffee Liquer - here I suggest Copa d'Oro, about $10.
Sherry - try Harvey's Bristol Cream, about $12.
After Dinner Liquer - here you have a wild choice but all after dinner liquers have one thing in common, they are expensive! I suggest you get either B&B or Drambuie, about $35.
MODIFIERS
Sweet Vermouth - just like with dry vermouth, Martini i Rossi is the obvious choice with Gallo being the alternative choice, about $12.
WINES
White Wine
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, about $12
Santa Rita 120 Reserva Especial Chardonnay, about $9
Rodney Strong Sonoma County Chardonnay, about $14
Red Wine
Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot, about $15
Beringer Founder's Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, about $10
Badia a Coltibuono Cetamura Chianti, about $12
Sparkling Wine (Champagne)
Best for toasts: Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava, about $10
Best for cocktails: Cupcake Vinyards Prosecco D.O.C., about $14
If you get everything listed above you will have shelled out about $250 on top of the $200 for the bare bones home bar. Small prize to pay for living the good life, in my humble opinion.
Saturday, February 10, 2018
BARE BONES HOME BAR
There are lot of young and not so young people who would like to have a home bar. They are tired of having parties where you have two bottles on kitchen counter plus whatever people bring, mostly beer or wine.
Having a home bar is one of those perks of good life that shows your guests that you care about the so called good life and have a taste. You don't need anything fancy, just a few bottles and basics. This article gives advice on how to start a home bar and how to stock it for flexibility without going bankrupt.
For the purposes of this article we shall assume that you don't have money to throw around, that you never had a bar and that you do not have the basic bar hardware. Shop the stores like Dollar Tree, Pier 1, World Market, Walmart, IKEA, Goodwill stores, to get bargain prices. Why pay more than you have to.
BARE BONES HARDWARE
The following is an absolute must have even for bare bones bar:
Wine Bottle Opener - Get the basic wine/beer combination bottle opener, chrome plated, about $6.
Shaker - The "regular" shaker strainer combination with a cap is no good because as you shake the cocktail some will get out as the top has a strainer and cap which dosn't fit tight. Get either two chrome plated shakers (one must be smaller so they fit together at the top) without the top or use just one shaker and a pint beer glass that fits inside the shaker top, about $10.
Strainer - Get the bar strainer with what looks like a spring around its perimeter, about $6.
Jigger - Get jigger/pony combination, chrome of course, about $4.
Plastic Squirt Bottles - These are small 8 or 12 oz. plastic bottles with a single cone squirt nozzle used for ketchup in many old diners. Get 2 or 3 in dollar store for buck each. Use them for simple syrup, lime juice, and whatever other juices you will use.
Plastic straws/stirrers - these are short round or flat plastic stirers also used by coffee shops, dime a dozen.
Cost: about $30
GLASSES
Listed below are 7 basic types of glasses for the bare bones home bar. These come packed in a carton of 4 glasses. First, check with Walmart and World Market. Get two cartons each if you expect to host parties of more than 6 people.
Shot - short stubby glass for shots
Lowball - this is your 'workhorse' also known as "old-fashioned". Usually short but wide, 8 - 10 oz.
Highball - tall and narrower than lowball glass, holds 10 - 12 oz.
Martini - classic conical glass on a stem, sizes vary but holds from 6 - 12 oz. Keep in fridge.
Margarita - wide and short bowl on a stem, holds 8 to 12 oz., giant glass may hold up to 20 oz.
Wine - various stemmed glasses. Although you should have two types of glasses, one for red wine and another larger glass for white wine, you really need only one glass these days. Get tall wine glass which holds 8 to 10 oz.
Beer Glasses or Mugs - 12 oz. glasses or mugs with or without handle. Keep them cool in fridge or freezer during your "event".
Cost of glasses: $35 per set of 7 types of glasses
Total Cost: $70
BARE BONES BAR MIXERS
Coca-Cola
Ginger Ale
Tonic Water
Sprite
Orange Juice
Lime juice
Simple syrup
BARE BONES BAR LIQUOR (around $15 each)
All liquor should be quality liquor but inexpensive. Here are my suggestions:
Vodka - absolute must! Smirnoff Vodka is very popular and is triple distilled meaning it is a good choice. Another bargain vodka is Pinnacle vodka from France.
Gin - absolute must! Gordon London Dry Gin is an institution where you can taste the juniper berries. Another good choice is Seagram Dry Gin.
Light Rum - absolute must! Bacardi is the obvious choice. Alternative choice is Flor de Cana.
Dark Rum - optional. Get Flor de Cana dark rum. Alternative choice is Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.
Whiskey - essential. There is lot of good choice but I like Evan Williams Straight Bourbon whiskey.
As an alternative I suggest Rebel Yell Bourbon.
MODIFIERS
Dry Vermouth - Martini i Rossi is an obvious choice, about $12. Gallo is the alternative choice, about $8.
Bitters - there are lot of choices but Angostura Bitters are the best, about $6.
Citrus and Fruit - buy lemons, limes, oranges, and other fruits on as needed basis.
Simple syrup - mix together one part water and one part sugar. Boil for few minutes and let cool.
Ice cubes - always have ice on hand. For a party buy a 5 or 10 lb. bag.
Cost of Modifiers: about $25
Total Cost: $195 SAY $200
SIMPLE COCKTAILS YOU CAN MAKE
Old-Fashioned
1 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes bitters
Stir
2 oz. whiskey
Ice
Stir (never shake)
Orange zest (orange peel about 1 1/2 inches long)
Margarita
2 oz. tequila
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz. simple syrup
Shake
Add ice
Serve in glass with salted rim.
Whiskey Sour
2 oz. whiskey
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
Shake
Add ice and shake again
Strain into lowball glass with 3 ice cubes.
Garnish with slice of lemon and maraschino cherry with stem attached.
Gimlet
2 oz. gin or vodka, your call
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
Shake with ice
Strain into martini glass
Garnish with slice of lemon
Martini
3 oz. gin
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
Stir (never shake) with ice in mixing glass
Strain into martini glass
Squeeze the oil out of lemon peel
Garnish with green olive
Daiquiri
2 oz. light rum
1 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
Shake with ice and strain into martini glass.
Garnish with slice of lime.
Highball
Fill highball glass with ice, add
2 oz. whiskey
6 oz. ginger ale
Stir
Gin and Tonic
Fill lowball glass with ice
Squeeze juice out of wedge slice of lime
Throw the lime wedge in and add
2 oz. gin
3 oz. tonic water
Stir
Rum and Coke
Fill highball glass with ice, add
2 oz. light rum
4 oz. coke
Stir
Garnish with lime slice
If using dark rum use 6 oz. coke
Cuba Libre
Squeeze juice of half a lime into lowball glass
Add 3 - 4 ice cubes
2 oz. light rum
4 oz. coke
Stir
Garnish with slice of lime
Screwdriver
Fill highball glass with ice, add
1 1/2 oz. vodka
6 oz. pulp free orange juice
Stir
Garnish with orange zest or slice
Mojito
Muddle 4 lime wedges and 1 teaspoon of simple syrup or brown sugar in highball glass, add
2 oz. light rum
6 mint leaves
Stir
Fill glass to 3/4 with crushed ice
Top off with 2 oz.club soda
And there you have it!
Having a home bar is one of those perks of good life that shows your guests that you care about the so called good life and have a taste. You don't need anything fancy, just a few bottles and basics. This article gives advice on how to start a home bar and how to stock it for flexibility without going bankrupt.
For the purposes of this article we shall assume that you don't have money to throw around, that you never had a bar and that you do not have the basic bar hardware. Shop the stores like Dollar Tree, Pier 1, World Market, Walmart, IKEA, Goodwill stores, to get bargain prices. Why pay more than you have to.
BARE BONES HARDWARE
The following is an absolute must have even for bare bones bar:
Wine Bottle Opener - Get the basic wine/beer combination bottle opener, chrome plated, about $6.
Shaker - The "regular" shaker strainer combination with a cap is no good because as you shake the cocktail some will get out as the top has a strainer and cap which dosn't fit tight. Get either two chrome plated shakers (one must be smaller so they fit together at the top) without the top or use just one shaker and a pint beer glass that fits inside the shaker top, about $10.
Strainer - Get the bar strainer with what looks like a spring around its perimeter, about $6.
Jigger - Get jigger/pony combination, chrome of course, about $4.
Plastic Squirt Bottles - These are small 8 or 12 oz. plastic bottles with a single cone squirt nozzle used for ketchup in many old diners. Get 2 or 3 in dollar store for buck each. Use them for simple syrup, lime juice, and whatever other juices you will use.
Plastic straws/stirrers - these are short round or flat plastic stirers also used by coffee shops, dime a dozen.
Cost: about $30
GLASSES
Listed below are 7 basic types of glasses for the bare bones home bar. These come packed in a carton of 4 glasses. First, check with Walmart and World Market. Get two cartons each if you expect to host parties of more than 6 people.
Shot - short stubby glass for shots
Lowball - this is your 'workhorse' also known as "old-fashioned". Usually short but wide, 8 - 10 oz.
Highball - tall and narrower than lowball glass, holds 10 - 12 oz.
Martini - classic conical glass on a stem, sizes vary but holds from 6 - 12 oz. Keep in fridge.
Margarita - wide and short bowl on a stem, holds 8 to 12 oz., giant glass may hold up to 20 oz.
Wine - various stemmed glasses. Although you should have two types of glasses, one for red wine and another larger glass for white wine, you really need only one glass these days. Get tall wine glass which holds 8 to 10 oz.
Beer Glasses or Mugs - 12 oz. glasses or mugs with or without handle. Keep them cool in fridge or freezer during your "event".
Cost of glasses: $35 per set of 7 types of glasses
Total Cost: $70
BARE BONES BAR MIXERS
Coca-Cola
Ginger Ale
Tonic Water
Sprite
Orange Juice
Lime juice
Simple syrup
BARE BONES BAR LIQUOR (around $15 each)
All liquor should be quality liquor but inexpensive. Here are my suggestions:
Vodka - absolute must! Smirnoff Vodka is very popular and is triple distilled meaning it is a good choice. Another bargain vodka is Pinnacle vodka from France.
Gin - absolute must! Gordon London Dry Gin is an institution where you can taste the juniper berries. Another good choice is Seagram Dry Gin.
Light Rum - absolute must! Bacardi is the obvious choice. Alternative choice is Flor de Cana.
Dark Rum - optional. Get Flor de Cana dark rum. Alternative choice is Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.
Whiskey - essential. There is lot of good choice but I like Evan Williams Straight Bourbon whiskey.
As an alternative I suggest Rebel Yell Bourbon.
Tequilla - optional. Forget the real cheap choices such as Montezuma, get a bargain quality tequila. I suggest Sauza Gold or El Jimador Reposado, about $20.
Cost of Liquor: about $100
Total Cost: $170
Cost of Liquor: about $100
Total Cost: $170
MODIFIERS
Dry Vermouth - Martini i Rossi is an obvious choice, about $12. Gallo is the alternative choice, about $8.
Bitters - there are lot of choices but Angostura Bitters are the best, about $6.
Citrus and Fruit - buy lemons, limes, oranges, and other fruits on as needed basis.
Simple syrup - mix together one part water and one part sugar. Boil for few minutes and let cool.
Ice cubes - always have ice on hand. For a party buy a 5 or 10 lb. bag.
Cost of Modifiers: about $25
Total Cost: $195 SAY $200
SIMPLE COCKTAILS YOU CAN MAKE
Old-Fashioned
1 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes bitters
Stir
2 oz. whiskey
Ice
Stir (never shake)
Orange zest (orange peel about 1 1/2 inches long)
Margarita
2 oz. tequila
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz. simple syrup
Shake
Add ice
Serve in glass with salted rim.
Whiskey Sour
2 oz. whiskey
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
Shake
Add ice and shake again
Strain into lowball glass with 3 ice cubes.
Garnish with slice of lemon and maraschino cherry with stem attached.
Gimlet
2 oz. gin or vodka, your call
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
Shake with ice
Strain into martini glass
Garnish with slice of lemon
Martini
3 oz. gin
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
Stir (never shake) with ice in mixing glass
Strain into martini glass
Squeeze the oil out of lemon peel
Garnish with green olive
Daiquiri
2 oz. light rum
1 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
Shake with ice and strain into martini glass.
Garnish with slice of lime.
Highball
Fill highball glass with ice, add
2 oz. whiskey
6 oz. ginger ale
Stir
Gin and Tonic
Fill lowball glass with ice
Squeeze juice out of wedge slice of lime
Throw the lime wedge in and add
2 oz. gin
3 oz. tonic water
Stir
Rum and Coke
Fill highball glass with ice, add
2 oz. light rum
4 oz. coke
Stir
Garnish with lime slice
If using dark rum use 6 oz. coke
Cuba Libre
Squeeze juice of half a lime into lowball glass
Add 3 - 4 ice cubes
2 oz. light rum
4 oz. coke
Stir
Garnish with slice of lime
Screwdriver
Fill highball glass with ice, add
1 1/2 oz. vodka
6 oz. pulp free orange juice
Stir
Garnish with orange zest or slice
Mojito
Muddle 4 lime wedges and 1 teaspoon of simple syrup or brown sugar in highball glass, add
2 oz. light rum
6 mint leaves
Stir
Fill glass to 3/4 with crushed ice
Top off with 2 oz.club soda
And there you have it!
Sunday, February 04, 2018
NEW PAINTINGS
Some time ago my son and his wife asked me to paint two paintings for their dining room. They requested a certain size and they let me decide what to paint. I knew both of them are not into traditional art so 16th century Dutch realism was out. I decided to paint something half crazy - modern art - if you will.
At the same time my wife saw several paintings in local gallery. The paintings were modern looking paintings of trees. She talked me into painting something like that. After a long thought process I jumped right in.
Both paintings were done in acrylics and took about 3 days each. The second painting has an oil pastel on top of the acrylics.
It is worth mentioning that upon closer examination of the second painting, I saw a dog above the trees right in the center. This happened without trying to paint anything in that spot. Only one person to date noticed the dog.
Some time ago my son and his wife asked me to paint two paintings for their dining room. They requested a certain size and they let me decide what to paint. I knew both of them are not into traditional art so 16th century Dutch realism was out. I decided to paint something half crazy - modern art - if you will.
At the same time my wife saw several paintings in local gallery. The paintings were modern looking paintings of trees. She talked me into painting something like that. After a long thought process I jumped right in.
Both paintings were done in acrylics and took about 3 days each. The second painting has an oil pastel on top of the acrylics.
It is worth mentioning that upon closer examination of the second painting, I saw a dog above the trees right in the center. This happened without trying to paint anything in that spot. Only one person to date noticed the dog.
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