Hello and happy Friday! I owe you all an apology for completely neglecting my 12 days of drinkmas challenge. I have been way more busy than I anticipated and have two very needy toddlers that do not allow me any time to make videos or social media posts. It’s enough for me to try and get this newsletter out each week so I don’t know why I keep torturing myself with my own ambition. I will include some recipe ideas this week to make up for my lack of recipes all week. I will also try and reign in my own mind and stop over-promising things ahead of time. 🥲

Leading the Charge to Go Zero-Waste

I just booked a short weekend trip to visit one of my best friends in Washington DC so naturally she has been sending me videos of all of the coolest spots to visit while I’m there. She recently sent me one I hadn’t heard of and that happens to be doing some really incredible stuff. The video was linked to an article by Nick Barahona for The Washingtonian which I credit for this segment. Riff Raff, which is a small bar hidden inside of another bar, is run on a thoughtfully crafted and executed bar program that centers on sustainability.

Run by 20 year bar veteran Jon Schott, Riff Raff is designed to be intimate and easy going. Schott has represented the US in the “World’s Most Sustainable Bartender” competition in Nicaragua and his passion for his cause is very visible in his work. The menu is centered on drinks that are meticulously crafted to utilize the entirety of the ingredients in multiple iterations before composting what little may remain. I mean, his menu includes an old fashioned made with a banana peel syrup, that tells you a lot on its own. He also uses citrus peels in his citrus juice to make what he calls “super juice” in order to use the entire fruit. If you don’t remember we mentioned how citrus can be one of the most wasteful ingredients in a past newsletter on sustainability.

Riff Raff also has a final, playful upcycling which Schott says helps give the bartender and guest one last fun interaction - the check presenters are empty DVD cases. To me, this is one of the most thoughtfully executed bar experiences - from the drinks and the goals within them to the experience for the guest. I am absolutely making time for this one on my trip in January.

Here’s Some Inspiration if You’re Feeling Stuck

There are a mind-numbing number of gift lists online this time of year. I don’t want to make you close this email in a rage for including one so I’m going to give you the one Lui made because I trust him.

Lui includes links to all of what he mentions in the video so if you see something that you have to have make sure to click on the video and read the caption to find them!

Since I Failed at Being a Social Media Presence Here’s Some From My Master List

I have all of my drinks that I wanted to make and try saved and set aside so I’m going to include some now and also post some later on our website. If you want to browse more recipes later make sure to check out our website, I’ll have the list available from the homepage when it’s live.

Pantheon - Daisuke Ito, Tokyo

Pour ingredients into shaker tin fill with ice and shake hard. Double strain into a coupe. This one is simple but it’s considered a modern classic.

Champurrado - Gabby Romero, Delish (Non-Alcoholic Offering)

This batch serves about 8

Directions from the article:

Step 1: In a medium pot over medium heat, heat water until it starts steaming. Gradually add masa harina, whisking constantly, until combined and smooth. Continue to whisk over medium heat until masa is softened and looks like a smooth batch of grits, about 3 minutes.

Step 2: In a small pot over medium-low heat, cook milk, hot chocolate, piloncillo, vanilla, and cinnamon, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is dissolved, about 4 minutes.

Step 3: Whisking constantly, gradually add milk mixture to pot with masa mixture. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture coats the back of a spoon and no grittiness remains, about 4 minutes.

Step 4: Divide champurrado among mugs and serve.

Make Ahead: Champurrado can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. To reheat, transfer chilled champurrado to a pot with 1 cup water and cook over low heat until smooth and pourable.

This recipe didn’t call for any alcohol but for anyone looking to spike it try something like Licor 43, an añejo tequila, or holiday standby: brandy.

Coquito - Reina Gascon-Lopez, The Sofrito Project

If you haven’t made this instead of eggnog ever in your life then you’re truly missing out. I’ve made this a few times and it never fails me.

This recipe makes about 1 gallon of Coquito

Directions from The Sofrito Project:

In a very large stockpot or mixing bowl, combine all of the canned milks. Whisk well and add the ground cinnamon and vanilla extract. Taste and adjust any additional flavoring to your liking.

Next, whisk in the white rum. For this, you’ll be adding the rum to taste. Start with a single cup and work your way up from there. It shouldn’t be overpowering but just enough to hit you and warm you up a bit when you take a sip. Of course, it will be personal preference, but we like ours pretty boozy, so we add quite a bit of rum which normally ends up being at least a few bottles when we make our very large batches.

Then, when you have your coquito boozed up, pour into glass bottles or mason jars and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. When ready to drink, give the bottle or jar a good shake and garnish with a little dash of cinnamon.

Just a hint: if you make this the day before your planned festivities, it tastes even better to begin with.

Shayne’s personal tip: putting this recipe in a blender can make life easier since the Coco Lopez and sweetened condensed milk can be quite thick. Since its such a big batch I usually end up ladling smaller portions into my blender to get the whole thing smooth then recombining before finally diving the batch into containers.

I’m not a chocolate covered cherries kind of person but this does look so delicious. It’s not overly complicated but layered enough to feel complex. The ingredients are also not hard to come by so this is definitely very doable for seasoned bartenders and new home bartenders alike.

Quick Hits: