Matt Rowley over at Rowley’s Whiskey Forge is hosting this month’s MxMo and his theme is Hard Drinks for Hard Times:

If your 401(k) has taken a beating, or if you or a spouse or friend have been laid off, or if you’re simply hanging on to your wallet for dear life, you’ve probably given some thought to how the economy is affecting your basic expenditures—such as those you make for booze. Here’s a chance to share how you’re drinking during the downturn; whether it’s affordable booze, ways you’re cutting corners, or things you’ve figured out how to mix or make on the cheap, we need to hear it.

Uh, so this is almost a week late.  Sorry Matt, I’ve had it mostly written in my notebook for over a week, but haven’t gotten a chance to get it turn it into a blog post until now.

Onward…

As you may have noticed, I have a small problem with compulsively purchasing spirits.

This is not really a new thing, just sort of a different expression of my spendthrift ways.

When I was a kid, I spent what little money I made from my paper route and selling coke at football games on collecting comic books.  When I got a bit older, I started purchasing records.  After I reached drinking age, I went through a period of wine obsession.  As time flew on, I moved to CDs.  Then for a period I was completely obsessed with computer games.

I am a compulsive collector of sorts and our house is cluttered with the paraphernalia of my various and sundry obsessions.

Which also means, I have never really been good at prioritizing budgets, keeping track of my spending, or coming up with real career plans for myself.  In fact, after moving to California and failing to find a well paying job, I was probably on the fast track towards accumulating a very nasty credit card debt.  Were it not for some success at finding decently paying jobs in technology, I am not really sure where I would be today.

But after a couple of the tech companies I worked for failed, I took a job with a local University.  Taking a significant pay cut in exchange for what I hoped would be job security and decent benefits.  The job security thing didn’t initially turn out to be quite the case I was hoping for, but I am still working for the same University, albeit in another job.

Since starting at the University, I’ve made enough to cover the bills and been quite religious about not accumulating more debt that I can cover on a monthly basis.

But the spirits purchases related to the Savoy project have always put a pretty big dent in my monthly income.  And, for something like 4 out of the last 7 years I have worked for the University, we have had pay freezes or limits on increases in compensation.  When we have gotten raises, they haven’t even been at a rate commensurate with inflation.  Really, the only way to get a decent raise at the University is to switch jobs.  But now, with most departments having hiring freezes due to the California state budget situation…

One thing I’ve tried to do, from time to time, is to parlay my areas of intense interest into sources of income.

For example, during my intense period of interest in food, I worked as a cook in restaurants.  As an avid computer game player, I managed to get a job as a game tester for a video game company.  While at the same company, I became interested in Information Technology and moved to the tech support department.  I even tried to get a job in a record store when I was totally obsessed with jazz and made enough money to pay for our moving van to California by selling some of my old comic books.

Mrs. Flannestad calls me a “conniver”.  I may not have had a career plan in mind at any point in my life, but somehow things do happen from time to time, which from the perspective of hindsight, look like some sort of twisted and rocky path.

Since becoming interested in cocktails, I’ve been trying to figure out some way to actually bring in some cash with whatever meager expertise I have accumulated in the field.

A number of folks have suggested that I write a book about the Savoy adventure.  Unfortunately, whenever I talk to friends who have actually written books, they tell me writing a book, is not, in fact, a very good way to make money.

From what I can tell, most blogs don’t really make money either.  Oh, a few, with tremendous readership may make their authors enough cash to get by.  Some “celebrity bloggers” may actually be rewarded well.  But really, is a geeky drink blog like mine going to have enough appeal to generate much ad revenue?  I suppose I could go for a sponsorship deal: “The Savoy Stomp, brought to you by Beefeater’s Gin”.  But then I would have to kowtow to some superior force instead of using whatever spirits I want.  No fun.

I could, I suppose, work in a liquor store.  But I already have a full time job during the hours that most liquor stores are open.  Besides, in my experience, retail doesn’t really pay that well for most employees.

Bartender, though?

There are a few things that appeal.  Being on the front lines of cocktail evangelism.  Doing something with my hands.  It’s a culinary profession.  It’s in food service, which I enjoyed previously.

Why not?  Most shifts are even at different times from my University job!

So here I am, working two jobs and trying to make my dream of supporting the Savoy blog and its expenses by working in a bar reality.

Is it fun?  Yes.  Is it rewarding?  Hell, yeah.

Is it hard?  Well, a bit. But it’s the only way I can think to get the experience.

One of my favorite New Orleans cocktails, after the Sazerac, is the Vieux Carré Cocktail.

According to Stanley Clisby Arthur in his book, “Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em,” the cocktail was invented by, “Walter Bergeron, head bartender of the Hotel Monteleone cocktail lounge,” and especially to honor the Vieux Carré, or old square, section of the city of New Orleans.

Clisby Arthur gives the recipe as follows:

1/2 teaspoon Benedictine
1 dash Peychaud bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
1/3 jigger Rye whiskey
1/3 jigger Cognac Brandy
1/3 jigger Italian Vermouth

The Benedictine is used as a base and also for sweetening the cocktail. Dash on the bitters, then add the rye, brandy, and vermouth. Put several lumps of ice in the barglass. Stir. Twist a slice of lemon peel over the mixture. Drop in a slice of pineapple and a cherry if you wish and serve in mixing glass.

Personally, I tend to like the cocktail “up” instead of over ice, but follow his instructions as closely or as loosely as you prefer.

Now the fun thing about this cocktail is it is an example where two spirits work together beautifully.

It can be fun to experiment with your own variations, the only real rules being to include benedictine, bitters, and equal parts of two spirits and vermouth.

Here are a couple I’ve been pleased with:

Vieux Carré Variation 1

1 oz St. James Ambre Martinique Rhum
1 oz Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy
1 oz Punt e Mes
Dash Benedictine
Dash Peychaud’s

Stir, Strain into cocktail glass.

The scent of the apple brandy and earthiness of the rhum agricole are quite interesting. Very complex libation. I’m omitting the Angostura, as I’m using the more bitter Punt e Mes vermouth.

Vieux Carré Variation 2

1 oz Highland Park 12 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
1 oz Calvados Roger Groult, Réserve 3 years old
1 oz M&R Bianco Vermouth
Dash Benedictine
Dash Angostura
Dash Peychaud’s

Stir, strain, grapefruit peel twist.

And here’s a double taboo for you. Not only does this cocktail contain two spirits, one of them is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky! Horrors!

Vieux Carré Variation 3 was something of a disaster. Gin and Wheat Whiskey. I still swear it is salvageable, maybe with Oude Genever. One of these days I’ll get back to it.

Vieux Carré Variation 4, I present for your amusement.

1 tsp Benedictine
1 dash Peychaud’s Bitters
3/4 oz Batavia Arrack von Osten
3/4 oz Tequila Corralejo Reposado
3/4 oz Cocchi Aperitivo Americano

Stir, strain, dust with freshly grated nutmeg.

I’ve been thinking about some way to combine Tequila and Batavia Arrack for a while now without much success. This cocktail is the closest I’ve come to a success so far. Maybe a bit single noted. Definitely a work in progress, but I find the interaction between the spice, tequila, and arrack promising.