NY Trip for Woodford Reseve and Esquire Magazine

Its Been a While

To all my followers I know it's been a while....In November I will be starting up my regular blog again with new recipes and updates on everything in the world of spirits and cocktails ....Till then see ya soon

AGED COCKTAILS

Coming Soon to Tini Bigs

I will be starting to mix some great cocktails and then let them age in oak barrels....These cocktails should be ready by early fall. I will keep you all informed how the progress is coming.

Shane Sahr Tender of Bars

Tini Bigs Sunday School Cocktails

ANGRY CUCUMBER

2oz Don Julio Anejo

.25 St Germain

.25 fresh lime juice

.25 fresh sweet and sour

Muddled cucumber and roasted Jalapinos

CHAR BOMB

1.5 oz Don Julio Blanco

.25oz Chamboard

.25oz pineapple juice

.25oz fresh sweet and sour

.50oz Ron Zaccappa rum

splash of fresh lime juice

Garnish with grilled pineapple slice

Sunday School @ Tini Bigs Mixology Classes

Award-Winning Tini Bigs Premiers "Sunday School" Mixology Classes

One Sunday a month our bartenders share the tricks of the
trade and teach you how to create Tini magic at home.
Now Open 4900 Days in a Row!

Hot on the heels of being honored as one of the "Top 100 Bars in America" by Food and Wine magazine, Tini Bigs is adding monthly cocktail classes to share its knowledge and expertise with aspiring at-home mixologists.

Beginning May 23rd, 2010, classes will be offered on a reservation basis and will include pertinent literature, precise recipes, and skillful demonstrations. Each class will focus on a particular spirit, or can be tailored to cover some of the building blocks for becoming a master mixologist at home.

Class topics will include a brief history of bartending and how the craft has developed into what it is today, complete with a tasting of several different cocktails. Classes will begin at 4:00 p.m., making this an ideal way to kick off any evening. Admission for each class is $45 per person (excluding tax and gratuity) and will include appetizer samplers for the group. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

We also offer a packages that include the class and a signed copy of our very own Big Martini Recipe Book for $55, or add two of our signature Big Martini glasses with the book for $60.

Contact Tini Bigs at tinibigs@comcast.net or

(206) 284-0931 for reservations

Make Your Own Absinthe

1 pint Vodka

2 tsp Wormwood, crumbled

2 tsp crumbled Anise seeds

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

4 Cardamom pods

1/2 tsp Coriander, ground

2 tsp Angelica root, chopped
==================

Instructions:
==================
Steep wormwood in vodka for 48 hours. Remove, add the rest and steep
for one week to Age

When the spirit is finished steeping strain and drink in your favorite style.

Cheers!!!!   

Upcoming Events @ Tini Bigs

Friday April 16th, 2010 - 9pm till 2am

Book release after party for Loren Weisman and his book "The Artist Guide to Success in the Music Business"

There you will be able to try 4 new cocktails that I have created for this event. See you all there.

Toast For The Right Occasion

Drunk guy: Here’s hoping you’re in Heaven ten minutes before the devil knows you’re dead.
Drunk girl: What’s that mean?
Drunk guy: It’s an Irish toast.
Drunk girl: Oh. Well, here’s to bread, eggs and cinnamon.
Drunk guy: Huh?
Drunk girl: That’s French toast

When we drink, we get drunk.
When we get drunk, we fall asleep.
When we fall asleep, we commit no sin.
When we commit no sin, we go to heaven.
So, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven!
--Old Irish toast

Eat thy bread with joy,
and drink thy wine with a merry heart.
-Ecclesiastes 9:10

I love to drink martinis.
Two at the very most.
Three I'm under the table.
Four I'm under the host!
--Dorothy Parker

Bar Quotes

" I feel sorry for people who don't drink.

When they wake up in the morning, that's

as good as they're going to feel all day ."

----Frank Sinatra------

New Drink Fetured at TINI BIGS

Kiss of a Scottish rose Recipe

3 ½ oz of Hendrick’s Gin

Splash of Rose infused simple syrup

3 to 4 cucumber slices

Candied rose petals

In a mixing glass add Hendrick’s gin , rose infused simple syrup and cucumber slices. Next muddle all ingredients together until the cucumbers are well broken down, add ice and shake with shaking tin for about 10 to 12 shakes. Strain into martini glass. Finish with candied rose petals.

How to Build The Perfect Cocktail

Come See Me at TINI BIGS

Come on down to TINI BIGS where classic cocktails meet creative and inventive styles

Days I'll be behind the bar........

Tuesday............................6 till close

Thursday..................... 4 till close

Friday......................... 4 till close

Saturday.....................7 till close

Current Employment- TINI BIGS

What can I say. This Lounge style bar has a great atmosphere with a Martini menu that will blow your mind. The menu ranges from classic cocktails to the highly inventive. As I start my new job with TINI BIGS I realize more and more the endless possibilities of mixology and what it can do for your palate. With a great staff to guide me through my begining days I'm sure that I have found a new home with TINI BIGS.

MORE TO COME .........

You can catch me Bartending there on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays see you all there..

Shane's Winter Drinks

The Crazy Alpine

• 4oz hot chocolate
• 1/2oz Goldshlager
• 1 1/2oz peppermint schnapps
• splash of Frangelico
• top with whipped cream and caramel drizzle
  
  

Tuacca Cider

• 4oz hot apple cider
• 1 1/2 oz of Tuacca
• 1/2 oz Hot Damn
• 1/2 oz Absolute Pear
• garnish with a Cinnamon stick
  
  

Irish Coffee

• 4oz Black Coffee
• 11/2 oz Jameson's Irish whiskey
• splash of simple syrup
• 1 sugar cube
• top with whipped cream

Spiced Wine For the Holidays

Ingredients

1. 2 bottles light-bodied red wine
   
2. 1 1/4 cups sugar
   
3. Zest of 1 orange
   
4. Zest of 1 lemon
   
5. 3 black peppercorns, crushed
   
6. 2 cardamom pods, crushed
   
7. One 3-inch cinnamon stick, crushed
   
8. 1 clove, crushed
   
9. 1/2 cup kirsch

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the red wine with the sugar and the orange and lemon zests.
2. Put the spices in a tea ball and add to the saucepan.
3. Bring the wine to a very slow simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
4. Remove from the heat, discard the tea ball and stir in the kirsch.
5. Ladle the spiced wine into heatproof glasses and serve at once.

Make Ahead

The spiced wine can be kept overnight at room temperature. Reheat before serving.

Recipe by Josh Bell

Local Faire: Belltown Pizza

Belltown Pizza is a great spot for late night pizza by the slice. It is very affordable and damn good. With a fun and vibrant atmosphere I suggest to stop in after a night out or if your just starting on your adventures for the evening...... Enjoy......

http://www.belltownpizza.net

Fun Places to hang out in Belltown

Bandits Bar is a great place to grab a drink with friends. There happy hour is awsome and has a great bar staff. Steven is an owner/ tender and is always glad to see you. He knows what you like and usually has you drink ready before you sit down. With a friendly atmosphere and good service I would recommend this bar to anyone in the area.

Great Bar Signs

Places I've Worked: Bones Brewing

Bones Brewing Co.

Bones was an awesome place to work. It was a complex that included three bars. In the complex was a sports bar , live music venue and karaoke bar. Bones has everything under one roof and is easily one of Billings hot spots for entertainment. While I was there I was very involved in events held there such as Comedy shows, Live Music and Sporting events . It has a fast paced atmosphere which I enjoy and has great energy. I was able to meet and work with many great people.

http://www.bonesbrewing.com

Places I've Worked: City Vineyard

City Vineyard

City Vineyard is where I started in the vast world of wine. While there I was engulfed in wine knowledge. Every day was a new adventure in the field of vino. Some days it was hard to comprehend how much there is to know about wine, wine making and picking apart the wine. It was always a great enjoyment of mine to be able to pick that perfect bottle of wine for someone, whether it be a special occasion, collecting or just for a good sipping wine. This was a great experience, and the training I received there was an incredible growth of knowledge.

http://www.cityvineyardwine.com/

Global Toasts

GLOBAL TOASTS

Here is a list of toasts to help you say the linguistically correct thing when you are traveling :
French - "A votre sante!"( To your health )
Italian - " Salute!" ( To health ) / "Cin Cin"
British - "Cheers!"
Hungarian - "Ege'sze'ge're!" ( To good health )
Japanese - "Kanpai!" ( pronounced Kampai )
Polish - "Na Zdrowie!" ( To health )
Russian - "Za vashe zdorovye!" ( To your health )
Greek - "Yasas!" / "Eis Igian!" / "Stin ijiasas!"
Chinese - "Wen Lie!" / "Gan bie!"
Irish - "Slainte!"
Swedish - "Skal!"
Brazilian - "Saude!" ( Health )
Spanish - "Salud!" ( Health )
German - "Prost!" ( from Latin 'prosit' - may it be good )
Zulu (Africa) - "Ooogy Wawa!"
India - "Tulleeho!"

Wine Art by Ralph Steadman

I have had these prints for many years and have always enjoyed them. I hope you will as well.

Fun Places to hang out in Belltown

The Cyclops

The Cyclops was one of the first places that I visited when I moved to Seattle. It has an awesome atmosphere and a great bar staff. My favorite bartender is Alex she is always on top of her game and is very prompt in getting your drinks. If your down to hang out and relax that is definitely a fun place to go.

Places I've worked: Q Cuisine

Q Cuisine

The Q was a very fun place to work. It also had a night club attached which made it great after you were off work. The Q is a restaurant that is very fusion orientated and eclectic. The restaurant definitely has unique feel to is ambiance its décor is very up and coming and definitely ahead of its time for Billings. I had fun helping in creating the wine list and learning about different style of food.

Strawberry Spinach Salad
Sliced strawberries, caramelized almonds,
Stilton bleu cheese, sesame dressing

Grilled Tenderloin & Foie Gras
Seared Foie Gras, potato soufflé, and
seasonal vegetables,

http://www.qcuiusine.com/

Places I've worked: The Granary

The Granary is where I gained a multitude of experience in management. While there I worked with staff on wine knowledge and service techniques. At The Granary I was able to help create an award winning wine list, which also was one of the best in the state. I thoroughly enjoyed creating the cocktail menus. The executive chef and owner always told me to be as creative as possible, so I was. I invented many styles of mojitos and crazy cocktails as well as martinis. My famous Strawberry and Basil Martini is still on their cocktail menu to this day. The Granary’s food was exceptional with a mix of traditional steak house meets fusion cuisine.


Built in 1935, The Granary served as the milling department for Billings Polytechnic Institute
Until World War ll. The building was not used again until The Granary restaurant opened in 1976. In Spring 2004, this Billings landmark changed hands and underwent a major transformation. The Granary was reopened in October 2004.


Baked Brie
Puff Pastry wrapped brie, stuffed with caramelized onions and roasted walnuts accompanied by apricot preservers.

Wagyu Medallions
Grilled medallions of wagyu shoulder tender with cheddar cheese risotto ,roasted butternut squash and a port wine reduction


http://www.billings-granary.com/

Places I've worked: Walkers Bar and Grill

Walkers American Grill and Tapas Bar was a great experience. I worked there for a little over a year and a half. While there I enjoyed the great wine , food and fellow staff. Walkers is a fantastic restaurant with an incredible atmosphere, unique to traditional food and a stellar cocktail menu.


Grilled Beef Tenderloin
Sweet & spicy fig sauce, prosciutto wrapped asparagus
bundle & creamy Manchego potatoes

Fall Vegetable Bruschetta
Grilled tomato, red onion, bell peppers, scallion, basil
& anchovy atop toasted garlic-rubbed baguette with
extra-virgin olive oil & sherry vinegar

http://www.walkersgrill.com

Quote of the week

Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

-Benjamin Franklin-

Local Faire: Feierabend

Great German and Austrian beers, atmosphere and of course, the Schweinshax’n mit Rotkohl und Kartoffel Salat (Smoked roasted ham hock rubbed with brown sugar and sweet hot mustard served with rotkohl and German potato salad.) This little gem located near South Lake Union impressed me from the start with a truly vibrant setting, incredible food and a great beer menu. Better show up early because it fills up fast.

http://www.feierabendseattle.com

Ten reasons why beer is better then a woman.

1. Frigid beer is good beer.
2. Beer never gets a headache.
3. A beer label comes off without a fight.
4. You can share a beer with your friends.
5. You don't have to wine and dine beer.
6. You can enjoy a beer every day of the month.
7. You always know your a beer's first.
8. A beer is never late.
9. Beer doesn't get jealous when you grab another beer.
10. Beer tastes good.

New home, new city... new work?

I am a bartender in the truest sense of the word. I pour drinks. Mix laughs with good company. I generally entertain until the wee hours of the morning. I do it because I love it. I recently left my hometown of Billings, Montana to pursue my educational interest in the Culinary Arts. Along the way, I hope to meet new people, connect with a few old ones, and tend bar. I do it because its fun, and it beats saying "did you read the TPS report?".