yummy yum yum

What

1 Shot Light Rum

1 Shot Dark Rum

1 Shot Orgeat

1 Shot Triple Sec

6 Shots Pinneapple Juice

Grenadine

Malibu

Ice cubes

How (Take a nice six glass 8oz)

1 shot of light rum matched with orgeat. Add 1 shot of dark rum. Add triple sec. Fill to your taste of pineapple juice. Add a couple cubes of ice. Add a touch of grenadine and finally top with malibu to start off right.

bachelors delight

Angry Dragon Goods: 1 straw 1 shot of Stroh Rum (80%) 1 shot Sambuca 1 shot Tequila 1 shot Kahlua How:

1. Layer Sambuca and Stroh Rum in a whisky.
2. Have Tequila and Kahlua ready in separate shot glasses .
3. Ignite Sambuca and Stroh mixture .
4. Count till 5 and start to drink with straw (remember to hurry as the straw will melt) , just before you get to the end of the initial mixture , add Tequila and Kahlua at the same time.
   

WARNING: Similar to Flaming Lamborghini but a hell lot stronger!!

fatty banana

Ingredients

White Rum
Banana
Caster Sugar
Orange Juice

Method

Place 4 teaspoons crushed ice, 2 shots rum, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 shot orange juice and a peeled banana in a blender blend for only 10s then serve in a cocktail glass. Done.

ciao luigi

The weather is scorching today. So, a cocktail recipe is in order. Welcome, Luigi!

4-5 ice cubes
25 ml (1 fl oz) orange juice
25 ml (1 fl oz) dry vermouth
12.5 ml (1/2 fl oz) cointreau
25 ml (1 fl oz) grenadine
50ml (2 fl oz) gin
1 wedge blood orange

Method:

Stir vigorously in a mixing glass ice, juice, vermouth, cointreau and gin. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Pour the grenadine gently down one side of the glass so that it settles at the bottom. Peel half of the skin off the orange and sit it on the rim of the glass and serve.

bouncy castle

1 teaspoon of sugar syrup
3 dashes of bitters
2 – 2.5 ounces whiskey

Fill small old fashion glasses with ice and set aside to chill.

Stir the above ingredients with large ice cubes until thoroughly chilled. Empty the old fashioned glasses and a swirl a dash of absinthe in each one - discarding any left over liquid. Strain the liquor into each chilled and swirled glass. Twist a peel of lemon over each glass and drop it on top as a garnish. Serve with a small glass of ice water on the side as a chaser.

fiz

Definitely a music worth mentioning while drinking some Gin Fizz...aaahhhhhhh!!!....

GIN FIZZ

1oz Lemon Juice
1/4oz Sugar Syrup
1 bar spoon sugar
2oz Gin
Soda
Shake first four ingredients well over ice cubes. Strain into a collins glass filled with ice cubes and fill with soda.

se va a la cama con cualquiera

Every city in every capital in every country will have a main gay village. For Madrid, it is the neighbourhood of Chueca. Located just to the north of Gran Via and old city, centred on the Plaza de Chueca and Chueca metro station. And similar to all gay regenerated districts, a decade ago it was a dangerous area where drugs and male prostitution were rampant. However, an influx of affluent gay community has made Chueca one of the most fashionable and cosmopolitan areas of Madrid. This includes numerous shops and boutiques of both international and independent designers, stylish restaurants and the chic cafés. At night, the area is famous for its cool bars and packed clubs. Being a community, you'll notice businesses oriented toward a gay clientele such as travel agencies, lawyers and video stores.

What I find interesting about the area is that, it has become a popular spot not solely gays but also lesbians and others alike. Every year there is a large pride festival, one of the biggest festival in the annual calendar for the gay community, drawing revellers from all across Spain celebrating not just gay-lesbian roots but also bisexuals, transgender and straight people, with well over a million people on the streets.

Cocktail Recipe #4
Whiskey Sour - Put ice (4-6 cracked cubes) into shaker. Pour whiskey (2 measures), lemon juice (1 measure) & sugar syrup (1 teaspoon) over the ice. Shake well. Strain into chilled glass with cherry or orange peel.

Worth Noting:
Bar del Diego, Calle de la Reina 12 - Great cocktail bar. Owner Salvatore is a force to be reckon with.
Wagaboo, Calle de Gravina 18 - Exotic fusion food. Ok.
Olsen, Calle del Prado 15 - Another great cocktail lounge. Trendy. Try out the belinis.
Janatomo, Calle de la Reina 27 - Still one of the best Asian restaurant in the city. Great sushi.

creo que he tamado demasiado

After all the food at La Latina, what's better than more drinks and more tapas!!

Next stop Plaza Santa Ana, a great start to Madrid's evenings. The Madrileños will often start arriving to this area around 11pm on Friday's and Saturday's. Located just off Puerta del Sol and situated in an older barrio of Madrid; it is a pleasant square surrounded by culture and nightlife. Nearby a couple of streets away in Calle Cervantes, you'll be able to see the house where Miguel de Cervantes (writer of Don Quixote) lived. The square was originally the site of the Convent of Santa Ana, founded in 1586 but José Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother), in 1810 demolished the whole structure. In 1848, the Plaza was created. On its east side, sits Teatro Español, whose origins go back to 1583 (rebuilt in 1807 due to a fire); whereby Spain's most important writers have seen their works acted out on stage. To the west, you'll be able to see Reina Victoria Hotel built in 1916, a must for some cocktails at the rooftop bar. You'll notice 2 statues in the square that pays tribute to two great Spanish personalities, Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600 - 1681), the famous Spanish playwright and Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), poet and dramatist, killed by the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War.

A few streets away is Calle de Las Huertas (Calle Huertas), a pedestrian street with dual personality. During the day, the streets are lined with distinguished antique shops, famous restaurants and several bookshops. Around Calle Huertas, you'll be transported back to the Golden Age, Gongora, Cervantes, Quevado and Lope de Vega who used to reside here. At night, the street's nightlife scene is sought after by the visitors and locals alike. Regardless of time, Calle Huertas retains the charm of old Madrid yet very much present.

Cocktail Recipe #3
Sidecar - Mix Cointreau (1 part), lemon juice (2 parts), Brandy (8 parts) and cracked ice in a shaker. Strain into a glass with sugar coated rim (optional)

Worth noting:
La Casa del Abuelo, Calle Victoria 12 - Enjoy sweet wines rich in history (circa 1906)
El Diario, Calle Huertas 69 - Great place, nice food & good price
Vinoteca Barbechera, Calle del Principe 27 - Another extensive wine bar (300 wines) and inexpensive
Taberna de Delores, Plaza de Jesús 4 - Not too bad
El Cervantes, Plaza de Jesús 7 - I think it's overrated but I do like the octopus and bacalau here. Worth a quick stop
Populart, Calle Huertas 22 - All that Jazz!
La Boca del Lobo, Calle de Echegaray 11 - Local live music on weekdays

What is in a number? 0%, 27.5%, 52%, 74% or 100% Is it that important?

dame una primera!

Barrio de La Latina (La Latina as the locals call it) is the oldest part of Madrid and located in the centre of city. Its name derived from Spain's most illustrious mediaeval women, Beatriz Galindo whose nickname was 'La Latina' for her skill in Latin. She was a professor in the University of Salamanca after studying Latin in Italy. Once back in Madrid, she taught the children of Queen Isabela I. Within its city walls, you're aware of its narrow streets, large squares and even an Islamic Citadel. It is difficult to map the precise area of La Latina but that's what you would expect from the origins of Madrid. I have this affinity toward it because of the abundant choices of great tapas bars. The best time to visit would be on the weekends and on Sunday, Rastro, a flea market is worth a visit. And as flea markets go, everything from new to old bargains could be found. If antiques interest you, some of the specialised shops are available. The name, El Rastro means 'the trail' perhaps originated from names of the tanneries that once occupied the Ribera de Curtidores (i.e. Riverside of the tanners). An abattoir the banks of Manzanares River and the slaughtered cattle would be transported to the tanneries. During this process, it was thought that a trail of blood would be left along the streets hence the name El Rastro.

Cocktail recipe #2
Dark & Stormy - Muddle the limes (5 wedges) in a High Ball Glass. Fill glass with cracked ice, rum (50ml Havana Club 7) and ginger beer (200ml). Put 5 dashes of Angostura bitters on top of drink. Finish off with a lime wedge and straw.

Worth noting:
La Concha, Cava Baja 7 - Small friendly wine bar
Casa Lucas, Cava Baja 30 - Good selection of Spanish wines. Also try their 'scrambled egg with morcilla' tapas
Casa Lucio, Cava Baja 35 - Famous, traditional & busy, so reservation is essential. Huevos rotos, tripe & ham.
El Zapatero, Calle Almendro - Good selection of tapas enjoyed sitting around small tables.
Almendro 13, Calle Almendro 13 - My type of tapas bar. Good tapas and doesn't serve red wine or coke. Only classic beers, white wine & sherry. Huevos rotos and 'rosca' sandwiches is good here.

food haven

Hello kids! This week is going to be a short one from me. I'll be in the Spanish capital from this Thursday till Monday next week with our fellow mixologist Paolo and Toru to sample the local specialities. So, lots of cerveza and vermouth till the wee hours of the morning and of course tapas, Mercado de San Miguel, bring it on! So, in anticipation of the drinking sessions, I'll be adding extra measures of cocktail recipes and drinking dens with the usual dose of Architecture (Spanish this time).

Mercado de San Miguel is a Spanish market for foodies. The whole market is privately owned and recently gone through a massive refurbishment. The market is almost 100 years old but a group of investors lead by Montserrat Valle has preserved the original iron structure of the early 20th century. Turning this once dilapidated market and purchasing former store-holders license costs €20m. Honestly, it reminds me of London's Borough Market but much better. As you would expect from a 'gourmet' market, the 33 market stalls are undeniably pricey. But hey, the food is good! It is unique in Madrid because it provides 'degustación' menu. This ready-to-eat food is popular amongst Madrid's masses although there are 40-odd other neighbourhood markets around. The extensive choice of drinking places doesn't go amiss either.

The site was once occupied by a church, San Miguel de Octo but was badly damaged by fire in 1790. Although it was repaired, the state headed by King Joseph Bonaparte decided to tear it down completely in 1809. He had this idea of opening up spaces within the city and this new public square became an open-air market for 128 drawers and 88 stalls. The rows upon rows of perishables in wooden crates were seen as un-hygienic by city planners in the mid 19th century. It wasn't until 1836 that an architect called Joaquín Henri designed a covered market. This shift in approach resulted in several covered markets in Madrid. Mercado de San Miguel was built in 1916 by supervising Architect Alfonso Díez Dubé following the style of The Halles de Paris. The whole structure is covered in cast iron with decks, modern drainage, crest ceramic crown cover but glazing was installed much later in its life.

Cocktail Recipe #1
FiFi Juice - Add vodka & honey into a shaker with lots of ice & shake. Pour into a cocktail glass and add lemonade

Worth noting:
La Casa del Bacalao, Mercado de San Miguel - Try out the cod is all its guises. Yum!
Delic, Costanilla de San Andrés 14 - Try the simple cocktails here. Not as proficient for the complex mixes.
Café Belén, Calle Belén 5 - Very chilled out atmosphere for coffee, teas and cocktails!

The weekend has been a mix of joy, anger & despair. Joy - to be able to catch up with good friends. Anger - to be mugged in the fucking street by gangbangers! Despair - to deal with repercussions of hollow suspicions. Well, it could have been worse. It was better for me to be mugged than leaving the Brunette to go home by herself.

No good deed has ever gone unpunished. So true!