Panorama Punch

Seattle probably isn’t the first place you think of when someone starts talking about tropical drinks.

During the middle of the twentieth century, the Polynesian Pop movement that was usually just referred to as “Tiki” was in full-bloom across the USA. Seattle was not spared from the light of Tiki torches, rattan furniture, or rum-based libations with fun names. And when the 1962 World’s Fair came to Seattle, locals and tourists were treated to some fantastic drinks high in the famous Space Needle. One of those drinks was named the Panorama Punch.

Of course, in true Tiki style, there are different reports on how the drink was made. According to an old Trader Vic’s guide, the drink was made with rum, Cointreau, gin, and grenadine. Jeff “Beachbum” Berry reports that the recipe was actually concocted with rum, simple syrup, cranberry, orange, and lime juices, and blended with crushed ice for two people. The secretive nature of Tiki cocktail culture means that the absolute truth is probably out of reach (but also probably favors the Bum).

Panorama Punch 
1 oz Appleton Estate Reserve Jamaican Rum

1 oz Clement VSOP Rhum Agricole 
2 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Cranberry Juice 
1/2 oz Lime Juice 
2/3 oz Orgeat

Shake with crushed ice and pour into a goblet. Garnish with mint. 

When we introduced Tiki Tuesdays at 320 Main, one of the drinks we were most excited to bring to the bar was our take on the Panorama Punch. It proved to be so popular that Jason and Dave put it on the regular menu so that you can sip the delectable drink any day of the week.

As noted in Beachbum’s BeachbumBerry Remixed, the Western Guest Magazine said the Panorama Punch, “...is especially good for toasting the 21st Century or just about anything.”

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Matt “RumDood” Robold is a bartender at 320 Main and, in his spare time runs RumDood.com, where he writes about rum, rum cocktails, and rum history.

 

Bridget 75

In 1898 the French army adopted a new field gun (we’d probably just call it a canon) that is widely considered to be the first modern artillery piece. The Materiel de 75mm Mle 1897, which saw extensive use in World War I by the Allied Forces, was commonly referred to as the “French 75” by English speakers. On October 23, 1917, the first artillery shells fired by the US Army in World War I were fired by a French 75 that the soldiers had named “Bridget.”

What does this have to do with drinking?

In 1915 a Scottish barman named Harry MacElhone was running The New York Bar (later called Harry’s New York Bar) in Paris. It was there that MacElhone named a new cocktail consisting of gin, lemon juice, sugar, and champagne on his menu the French 75.

Bridget 75
¾ oz Bonded Applejack
¾ oz Gin
¾ oz Lemon Juice
¾ oz Simple Syrup
1 oz Champagne

Combine all but champagne in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe and top with champagne.

As Fall has eventually found its way to Sunny Southern California, 320 Main decided to take the drink that took Paris and, eventually, New York and other points West by storm, and give it a bit of an American twist and Fall flavor. A little bit of apple goes a long way to making this refreshing drink feel at home among cooler temperatures and red and orange leaves.

Notes:
● It is often debated whether the French 75 originally called for gin or - as many people know it - with Cognac. While there are some notable references to the drink being made with cognac, the earliest references all seem to point to gin as the original base-spirit.
● Noted cocktail historian (yes, that’s an actual job that your guidance counselor hid from you) David Wondrich has pointed out that the combination of gin, citrus, sugar, and champagne can actually be traced back as far as 1867, when Charles Dickens encountered it during his travels to America (though Dickens specifically mentions Old Tom gin, which would have had a different flavor).

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Matt “RumDood” Robold is a bartender at 320 Main and, in his spare time, runs RumDood.com, where he writes about rum, rum cocktails, and rum history.

Guilt-free Holiday Feast with Beach Fitness

Now at 320 Main, we specialize in American food which brings to mind hearty comfort food- Mac & Cheese, Meatloaf, Steak & Potatoes, and we have that, oh boy do we have that! BUT like anything in life, dining is about moderation and balance. We love our new Walnut Pesto Caprese and Ahi Poke dishes and so do our trainers down at Beach Fitness. Bryce and Barbara, owners of Beach Fitness here in Seal Beach, have become great friends of ours and many of their hard working clients are loyal guests of 320 Main. With the holidays approaching, we teamed up to present the Guilt-free Holiday Feast, a four-course holiday inspired meal, with a dose of healthy holiday eating tips from Bryce Turner.

Bryce & Barbara

In true 320 Main fashion, the event started off with a delicious Pisco Punch featuring Encanto Pisco, fresh lemon & orange, clove, pineapple shrub & sparkling wine. 

Pisco Punch

Our first course was Quinoa Walnut Stuffing & Kale Chips with a bacon-wrapped date. Beach Fitness is a proponent of the Paleo diet so Head Chef James Wilschke created a menu that followed the basic principles of Paleo and featured the following- meats, fish, nuts, leafy greens, local/seasonal vegetables and seeds. Walnuts are an Omega-3 rich food and were featured throughout the meal.

Quinoa Walnut Stuffing

The Ginger Squash Soup was made with our housemade chicken stock, fresh ginger and butternut squash. Bryce educated the crowd with good advice for sticking to a healthy diet during the holidays. Tips included pausing between meal segments to avoid over-eating, looking for healthy substitutions when cooking classic recipes and if headed to a party, offering to bring a dish that fits your diet.

Ginger Squash Soup

Next up we enjoyed a Waldorf Salad with bibb lettuce, grapes, celery, apples & honey walnuts with a champagne vinaigrette.

Waldorf Salad

The Main Course featured a 320 Main favorite, the Surf & Turf. This dish features marinated Prime hanger steak, black tiger shrimp, spicy seafood cream sauce and ratatouille.

Surf & Turf

One of the best pieces of advice for the night was to have less food but use higher quality ingredients. We all like to celebrate with our family and friends and indulge during the holidays but that does not have to mean over-indulging. Keeping this in mind will help you enjoy the holiday season & make your CrossFit trainers proud! 

We finished up the evening with a cocktail, the Rusty Nut- Walnut Liqueur, Benedictine & Pampero Rum.

Jason Preparing The Rusty Nuts

The night was a blast for us at 320 Main, Chef James Wilschke and the kitchen staff had a great time developing and serving the menu and the guests enjoyed a sumptuous feast and walked away guilt-free!

The Fifth Stage

Absinthe can still be something of a mystery to Americans. After decades of finding itself on the wrong side of a misguided prohibition, the spirit finally returned to US shores and liquor stores in the 21st Century. 

Since it's return, there has been a lot of curiosity by the drinking public about what this once-taboo liquor really is. Does it really make you hallucinate? Will it make me go crazy if I drink it? Do you set it on fire to drink it? (The answer to all of these questions is no, by the way.) 

Of course the biggest question is, “What does it taste like?” The vast majority of absinthe tastes a lot like black licorice. It has a strong anise flavor with a touch of sweetness and a great deal of oomph (most absinthe is pretty high proof stuff). While the curiosity may take a hold of everyone, the taste of absinthe doesn't necessarily grip them quite as readily. 

This black licorice flavor and high alcohol content can frighten many a drinker away from the famed favorite spirit of artists and bohemians from the 19th Century. It is the job of the bartender to create drinks that highlight and expose the good and approachable parts of the spirit, while somewhat masking the less favorable elements. The best way to do that is often through a great, well-balanced cocktail.

The Fifth Stage
1 oz Pernod Absinthe
1 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice
2 tsp Housemade Orgeat
2 slices of cucumber

Shake all with ice and double-strain over ice into a Double Old Fashioned Glass. Garnish with a cucumber slice.

320 Main's head bartender, Dave Castillo may have found that perfect balance for introducing people to absinthe. In his Fifth Stage cocktail, Dave brings together the anise flavor of the absinthe and subdues it with tart lime and sweet pineapple. The drink is rounded out with the depth of the housemade orgeat and accented perfectly with the cucumber slices that are pulverized in the tin with the drink.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a better drink to relax with under the hot sun – or the dim lights of the bar at night.

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Matt “RumDood” Robold is a bartender at 320 Main and, in his spare runs RumDood.com, where he writes about rum, rum cocktails, and rum history.

The Mai Tai

320 Main's Mai Tai

When one thinks of Tiki, they think of sailing around the South Pacific, sipping drinks out of pineapples or coconuts, and lounging around white, sandy beaches whilst the breeze gently presses its way through the palms overhead. Here at 320 Main we may not have the coconuts and pineapples, but we still have the beach and, more importantly, we have the Mai Tai – the King of Tiki Drinks.

The Mai Tai was created in 1944 by Victor Bergeron – better known as Trader Vic (yes, that Trader Vic). By that time, Trader Vic's had locations in Oakland and Seattle, modeled after successful Polynesian Palaces like Don The Beachcomber's.

Vic Bergeron a.k.a Trader Vic

To create the Mai Tai, Vic combined Jamaican rum, curaçao, lime juice, rock candy syrup, and orgeat – an almond syrup created in France. The drink – full of flavors funky, tart, and just enough sweetness – proved so delicious and became so popular that Vic's restaurants eventually depleted the entire world supply of the Wray & Nephew 17 Year Old rum (you can occasionally find bottles in private collections for as little as $56,000 today). Vic was forced to try to recreate the rum's distinctive flavor by combining other Jamaican rum with rum from Martinique.

Mai Tai

.75 oz Appleton Estate Reserve Rum

.75 oz Rhum Clément VSOP

.75 oz House-Made Mai Tai Mix*

.75 oz Lime Juice

* Clément Creole Shrubb, house-made orgeat, and rich simple syrup

Shake with crushed ice and pour into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime shell and fresh mint.

320 Main may not be the beating heart of Faux Polynesian Faire, but we can't help but tip our straw hats to Trader Vic and what may be his greatest creation and an experience that is sure to make you proclaim, “Mai tai roa ae!”*

*”Out of this world – the best!” in Tahitian

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Matt “RumDood” Robold is a bartender at 320 Main and, in his spare time, runs RumDood.com, where he writes about rum, rum cocktails, and rum history.

The Crippled Creek

After a week of ridiculous winds and rain in Southern California, the forecast is finally looking up. Way up. Like, 70-and-80-degrees-without-a-thundercloud-in-sight up. The kind of "endless summer" we live in Orange County for. No one is more excited than Jason Schiffer and 320 Main that summer weather is back, and to welcome it properly they are introducing a brand new original drink: The Crippled Creek. 

The Crippled Creek has melon and citrus flavors as well as an overall savory quality that makes this drink unique and perfect for summer dining. Most people are surprised when they find out its unique ingredients. Cucumber, lemon and pomegranate are some of the more easily guessed at flavors of this drink when tasted. But what is that great savory quality of the Crippled Creek? That round funkiness that hugs the more recognizable fruitiness? You'll never guess, so I'll tell you: it's dijon mustard. How Jason managed to make a drink out of cucumbers and mustard taste tangy, fresh, and fruity is all a part of the magic of 320 Main. 

The Crippled Creek

1 1/2 oz Angel's Envy Bourbon

1/2 oz Lemon Juice

1/2 oz Pomegranate Molasses 

2 tsp Depaz Cane Syrup 

1/2 barspoon of Dijon Mustard
2 slices of Cucumber
Shake with large cocktail ice
Strain into Old Fashioned glass
Top with crushed ice
Garnish with cucumber slice and celery seed

Jason got the idea from a blog he read by Anvil Bar and Refuge. Anvil owner Bobby Heugel created a whole series of cocktails using his favorite condiment, mustard. The unique ingredient intrigued Jason, and being a natural-born experimenter he set out to concoct his own cocktail incorporating Dijon mustard. After much trial and error and a few final ingredients, the Crippled Creek was born. A drink perfect for summer.

Pairs Well With: The Roasted Bone Marrow or The Prime Rib

March Centerfold: Bone Luge

The Aviation

(The Aviation. Ingredients pictured right.)

The Aviation made its official debut in print around 1916 in a little book called Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo Ensslin. The original recipe contained an ingredient called creme de violette. This liqueur gave the drink its pale gray and slight lavender hue. Due to its  discontinuation around the 1930's barkeeps began to alter the recipe. Harry Craddock, the legendary American bartender who left Prohibition in the States to tend bar at the Savoy in London where he created and popularized some of the most famous cocktails to date, printed a revised version of the Aviation in his Savoy Cocktail Book. Craddock's version called for 2/3 dry gin, 1/3 lemon juice and two dashes of maraschino, ditching the now defunct creme de violette; a recipe most bartenders would follow from then on. That is until the recent cocktail resurgence in the 1990's when creme de violette made its grand (although limited) return to the market.

The original Aviation recipe as seen in
"Recipes For Mixed Drinks.

One thing 320 Main is all about is serving up the best cockatails out there, which means Jason Schiffer and the gang are constantly changing and honing in their recipes, either via their own trial and error, or by taking cues from fellow members of the craft. Recently some friends introduced Jason to a version of the Aviation cooked up by fellow spirits blogger Jason Wilson of Boozehound. It was love at first sip. Wilson, refines the original recipe down to a tighter formula with more proportional ingredient measurements making it brighter and more well balanced. It was immediately apparent that 320 Main had to adopt Wilson's version.

The Aviation
As Perfected By Jason Wilson

1 1/2 oz Beefeater Gin

3/4 oz Lemon Juice

1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino

1/4 oz Creme de Violette

"What's great about this cocktail is it is a perfect aperitif. The fresh lemon juice stimulates the appetite with its citric acid while the Maraschino Liqueur dries the back palette." 
- Jason Schiffer

Cocktail Spotlight: The Oude Fashioned

Today's Cocktail Spotlight is on The Oude Fashioned, Jason Schiffer's variation on the original cocktail. This cocktail features Bols Genever Barrel Aged, a Dutch spirit. "Oude" is Dutch for old, thus the name, The Oude Fashioned.

What is Bols Genever? It's what gin evolved from but it's not a gin, it's in a category all it's own. Lucas Bols has been distilling Genever in Holland since 1664. Bols Genever is distilled from "maltwine", a combination of corn, wheat and rye grains. At blend of at least 15% maltwine distillate is combined with a distillate of juniper berries and other botanicals. Genever means "juniper" in Dutch. Back in those days, alcohol was medicinal and juniper berries were believed to help with kidney sickness. In the 17th century, its purpose expanded to include "liquid courage". Dutch soldiers would drink shots of Genever before they forged into battle, coining the phrase "Dutch Courage."

Eventually, the Brits would draw from the Genever recipe to create a variation that came to be known as London dry gin. Bols Genever was very popular during the early 1700s but disappeared later in the 1800s when many of the drinks that once used Genever began using gin instead. With the recent resurgence of mixology and craft cocktails came a renewed demand for Genever. Bols came out with a Genever that was released in the U.S., only to also find demand for the original Barrel Aged recipe. They released a limited edition Genever, barrel aged in French Limousin oak and bottled in clay. Due to it's extremely limited quantity, only a select few bars dedicated to craft cocktails were given the spirit. One of those exclusive bars was yours truly, 320 Main. 

Stop into 320 Main and grab an Oude Fashioned before supplies run out. It may just give you the "Dutch Courage" you need to tackle your dreaded holiday shopping. 

The Virginia Dare

The cocktail is quintessentially American. Jason Schiffer likes to use the rich history of our county to inspire his cocktail recipes, like his recent creation “The Virginia Dare.”


"I created this cocktail for a special food and cocktail pairing held at 320 Main that was based around St-Germain and hosted by famed Seattle mixologist Jamie Boudreau. Obviously, I couldn't let Jamie have the entire spotlight with his fantastic concoctions, so I had to create one of my own for the event." -Jason

Virginia Dare

1oz St-Germain

1oz Plymouth Gin

1oz Sauvingon Blanc

1 tsp Aperol

Stir 30-40 rotations in mixing glass with ice, 

then strain into a chilled cocktail glass and 

garnish with a large twist of grapefruit

Virginia Dare was the name of the first English child born in the New World of the Americas. She was the granddaughter of John White, the English Governor of the Roanoke Island Colony in what is now North Carolina. White left the colony in 1587 to return to England for supplies and when he returned 3 years later, the colony was deserted. Among the over 100 people missing were White's daughter and his granddaughter, Virginia Dare. Many speculations have been made as to what became of the blond haired Virginia and the rest of the settlers. 


Years later In 1835, when Garrett and Company, a New York business, was founded in the North Carolina region where Roanoake once was. They adopted the name for a brand of their wine. During the Prohibition era if your business was liquor you had very few options. You could continue to sell illegally, taking your business "underground", obtain permission to sell for medicinal purposes only or, as Garret and Company did, find another legal use for making alcohol, in their case, flavoring extracts. Many liquor companies never saw the other side of Prohibition. Virginia Dare wines picked back up after the repeal on Dec 5th 1933 but didn't last past 1940. They do still produce extracts though.

 

"During Portland Cocktail Week in October, (from the lonely bartender-free streets of Seal Beach), I saw this video from Jeffrey Morgenthaler demonstrating how to carbonate a cocktail. I had done this before with another carbonation system my friend Ereich Empey brought in one night to play with. I thought the outcome was cool but, not worth the effort. The iSi Twist & Sparkle* is a simple and easy to work contraption which our bar is able to execute over and over. The perfect cocktail to carbonate and bottle was the Virginia Dare, although the drink was already fantastic, I always thought it would be really nice with a bit of sparkle. What better an occasion to introduce it than in honor of the 78th anniversary of Repeal Day! " -Jason

This carbonated, light, floral cocktail is wonderfully refreshing with hints of grapefruit. It's a perfect day drink that pairs well with light foods like salads. It's also a great gateway drink for those wine lovers looking to venture into the world of cocktails, as it utilizes Sauvignon Blanc.

This cocktail will make it's debut at 320 Main on Sunday the 4th in honor of Repeal Day for $12 each. Head over and celebrate with Jason Schiffer and the rest of the 320 Main staff! 

*the iSi Twist & Sparkle has been recalled due to safety issues. Stay tuned for a replacement product!

November Centerfold: Moscow Mule featuring 320 Main Copper Mugs

History Behind The Moscow Mule: Created in 1941 by Jack Morgan of the Cock N' Bull Tavern in Los Angeles and John G. Martin of the Hublein Company. John was introducing a Russian vodka to the United States and Jack had an overstock of ginger beer.  The two created the cocktail and teamed up with a friend of Jack's who had recently purchased a copper factory. Photos of the celebrities who frequented the Cock N' Bull Tavern on Sunset Boulevard enjoying the drink helped fuel sales as everyone wanted "the drink in the copper mug!"

See Jeffrey Morgenthaler's ginger beer recipe here.

Cocktail Spotlight: The Michigander

The Michigander. Created by Jason Schiffer. Available now at 320 Main.

The Michigander's main 
ingredients: Cynar and 
Laird's Straight Apple Brandy.

In our previous post we introduced you to our sizzling new fall appetizer, the Pork Belly Medallions. Today we give you the perfect drink to pair it with: the Michigander. The fall season and its onslaught of holidays inevitably causes one to think of home. Home for 320 Main owner Jason Schiffer is Michigan. “I went through a time where I was missing home,” explains Jason of how this drink came to be. “My favorite time of year is fall. I get nostalgic about the chill in the air, the earthiness of burning leaves and the sweet smells of apple cider.” This is the basis from which the Michigander was created.

Jason is very visual when it comes to creating drinks. When creating the Michigander he wanted to mimic the deep fruity and contrasting earthy elements of fall in Michigan. He began with Laird's Straight Apple Brandy 100 proof. Laird's Apple Brandy is Bottled in Bond, which means it was produced in one distillations season, by one distiller, at one distillery and it was aged in a federally bonded warehouse under US government supervision for at least 4 years. Why is this important to you? Because it is a government guarantee that you are getting 100% straight brandy. Jason then added an Italian liquor called Cynar. Made of 13 different herbs and spices including artichoke, Cynar gives the drink a slightly bitter richness. To that Jason added honey, lemon and finally a grapefruit twist. The result is truly delectable and warming to your insides. It's the next best thing to fall in Michigan. A good friend of Jason’s, Ereich Empey, says this about the drink, “At its' heart a rather simplistic drink, with tons of flavor laying throughout, the Michigander is followed by complexity and depth on account of the ingredients.” [Musings on Cocktails]

The Bowery: 320 Main's Take on The Manhattan

Fall is finally arriving, slowly but surely. These hot 80 degree days are giving way to shorter, cooler ones. To usher in the autumn season, 320 Main is introducing it's newest addition to the cocktail menu, The Bowery. Named after the colorful neighborhood in Lower Eastside Manhattan, this cocktail is a variation of the the classic Manhattan.

"The Bowery is actually what cocktail people would call a Black Manhattan, a riff on the classic Manhattan cocktail using an Amaro as the Sweet Vermouth. John Coltharp of The Tasting Kitchen in Venice gave me my first taste of Ciociaro Amaro, I told him it reminded me of the original formula Amer Picon, (a pre 1970 Amaro I was lucky enough to taste) but a little sweeter and without the dried orange notes. This Amaro is so special, the cocktail needed it's own name." -Jason Schiffer

In Italian, amaro means "bitter" these bitters or amari are usually made by macerating various herbs, roots, spices, bark, flowers and/or citrus in a neutral grain spirit or wine. Sugar is then added before being barrel or bottle aged. The classic recipe for a Manhattan  includes equal parts rye whiskey and sweet vermouth with a dash or two of bitters. The 320 Main crew makes this Manhattan-style cocktail with Bulleit Rye Whiskey, Bitters and the Amaro Ciociaro. Bulleit Rye Whiskey is a fairly new label that is full of character - much like it's creators.

The Bowery: Bulleit Rye WhiskeyAmaro
Ciociaro and bitters. Click to Enlarge.

As the legend goes, in the 1820s a young Augustus Bulleit emigrated from Alsace-Lorraine, France.  Around 1840, Augustus Bulleit moved from New Orleans to just outside Louisville, KY and established himself as a tavern keeper, where he began producing small batches of bourbon. Hell bent on perfection, he experimented with countless recipes, finally finding one that met his expectations. Bulleit Bourbon was born. Bulleit bourbon sold throughout Kentucky, Indiana, and New Orleans where it quickly gained the reputation as the bourbon of choice for America's frontiersmen.

In 1860, while transporting barrels of whiskey from Kentucky to New Orleans, Augustus Bulleit mysteriously disappeared just outside of New Orleans. Walter Q. Gresham, Secretary of State under President Grover Cleveland formed a search party to travel from Indiana to New Orleans. The searchers came back empty handed, his body was never found. After Augustus’s disappearance, it seemed the making of his bourbon would disappear with him. However, in 1987, more than a century later, Tom Bulleit fulfilled a lifelong dream by starting a distilling enterprise inspired by the original recipe of his great-great-grandfather. [Bar None Drinks]

What do you get when you mix all these fine spirits and bitters together? The Bowery, a delicious take on the original with accentuated depth and richness that is perfect for fall.

Pairs well with: The Filet Mignon