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In 1995, I was working at an antiquarian bookstore in Atlantic City. At one point, I happened upon a 1936 copy of Burke’s Complete Cocktail & Drinking Recipes.

I bought it, and within weeks I was scouring estate sales and thrift stores for vintage bar ware. I picked up extra shifts whenever I could at the various dreadful restaurants I was also working at, so I could both pay for college and buy records and now buy spirits and vintage jiggers. Eventually I was forced to take fewer credits as an undergraduate degree in Political Science took lesser priority than having more records and more gin.

Costing pretty much what two semesters cost me at a state college in 1995, I’m now taking the intensive BAR Course at Astor this week. I am honored to have been accepted and am excited to learn from the likes of F. Pacult, Dave Wondrich and Dale Degroff. Judging from the luminaries that have gone through this course the past two years it has been offered (Phil Ward, Audrey Saunders, Stanislav Vadrna, Julie Reiner… it goes on), I’m kinda freakin’ out.

Tom Bullock was a nationally revered bartender in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A collection of his recipes is printed in 173 Pre-Prohibition Cocktails. There are several mentions of “celery bitters” and even with the recent interest in bitters, there are no archived or recreated recipes that have surfaced. I’m probably an odd soul for even being curious enough to embark on such an experiment but I have a feeling they’d be a nice addition to a gin gimlet.

I’ve had some success in my own recent aromatic bitters concoctions (birch and sassafras), so I started my own celery tincture hoping to have a clean, light result. Of course, I have no idea what the original tasted like but I assume it’s based on either celery seed, celery root, or celery stalk. Meanwhile, I’ve put together a batch of lavender bitters and hope to incorporate them into some springtime cocktails.

New York City may be our home base, but our hearts are always in Philly. For the holidays we packed the car to the brim and merrily made our way down South to see our friends and family. An “It’s a Wonderful Life” party. Christmas with Jackie’s folks and family. And a wonderful visit to our friends Allen and Susan’s (Lord Whimsy and Lady Pink Water’s) new home in Mt. Holly with a surprise visit from our dear friend Rob Wiess.

After a nice long visit we sped off to Philly for some delicious crepes at Beau Monde on 6th and Bainbridge we couldn’t resist a visit with our friends, George and Kip, at Southwark last night. As many of you know, they are preveyors of fine cocktails and delicious slow food. George proceeded to include us in on a Plymouth Gin only sold in the UK. Juniper berries, as you know, are the key ingredient in making a fine gin. This rare bottle tasted of the fresh berries, with a citrus overtone and smooth finish.

Thank you for sharing with us, George, and thanks for the heavy pours of Pink Ladies for my Girl Friday! When you have a chance be sure to give Southwark a look see. In my opinion, it is worth a trip to Philly just to give it a try!
www.southwarkrestaurant.com , 4th and Bainbridge, Philadelphia, PA

I wrote the text.  Jackie photographed the drinks.  And here it is - for your consumption.  Drink up!These are $15 each, and the first 20 will receive a surprise gift.We also have a $50 gift pack available, where we include some of the “must-have” tools with the Holiday Mixology book. Email Jackie @ studio[at]jackiephoto.com with your request and we’ll have them out to you in time for the holidays!  For some reason I cannot upload the image but check out the cover art here.  Please let us know what you think!

Keep your eye out.  We’re doing a small run of my Holiday Mixology booklet.