beakerandflask.com Blog

I’ve been a bit hesitant to post much in the way of recipes or drink ideas I have that will find their way on to the menu at Beaker & Flask. The thought process being, I was not really bartending anywhere where my drinks were being featured and well, I’m not really concerned so much about receiving the credit as much as not looking like a copycat should someone use something I may have posted. I’m generally quite open about giving away recipes and I think it’s the proper way to go about it. Things have changed recently, though, and now that I’m in charge of the cocktail list at Clyde Common, I feel I can post about some things I’ve been working on.
I’ve had the words “watermelon” and “quinine” written in my notebook for a while now, with the desire to pair these two flavors together. It’s not really watermelon season here in the Northwest just yet (we get amazing melons out of Hermiston, OR), but with the recent 4th of July holiday and the sublime Oregon summer weather we have been enjoying, I felt the time was right to experiment with this idea.
My idea was to go as neutral as possible with the spirit and just see how the two flavors worked together so I chose vodka as my base. I cut up a baby watermelon and infused it in 100 proof vodka for about four days. I then strained the vodka and took the left over melon and combined it with a cut up fresh melon, a few pinches of salt and fresh cracked pepper and pureed the whole mess in my blender. I started making my own tonic water a few years ago, which is basically a syrup that I combine with soda water to make the tonic, so I used this to get the quinine flavor in the drink.

The basic recipe is as follows:

2 oz. watermelon vodka
1/2 oz. tonic syrup
1 oz. watermelon puree
build over ice and top with soda water. Turn it over into a metal shaker and then serve in your favorite rocks glass.

The combination of flavors was exactly what I’d hoped for, refreshing and clean, and honestly a better use for the tonic than a standard G & T. I’ve put this drink on the menu at Clyde Common and called it The English Picnic. Upon further review, I tried out the drink using a blanco tequila instead of the watermelon vodka and I think I like this version better. Which is great, because then I don’t have to infuse the spirit at all. I have a bunch of the flavored vodka so I’ll run with that for now, but I think I’ll be changing it over to the tequila version as soon as that is gone. If you are interested in my tonic recipe, I’ll post that below. It’s actually very easy to make and it beats the hell out of commercial tonic waters.

Tonic Recipe #5
4 cups water
3 cups unrefined pure cane sugar
6 tablespoons powdered citric acid
3 tablespoons quinine (cinchona bark)
3 limes
3 stalks of lemongrass (chopped)
1/2 cup juniper berries

Boil the sugar and water to dissolve, making a syrup, reduce heat
zest the limes in to the syrup
squeeze the limes and add the juice to the syrup
add the lemongrass
grind up the juniper berries and add
add the acid and the quinine, stir and then turn up the heat and bring it all to a rolling boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about half an hour.
Then I’ll strain the mixture into a large jar to get out the large particles. Put the jar in the fridge overnight and then gently pour off the syrup. The mass of quinine should sit pretty solidly in the bottom of the jar. There you have it. Just combine about 2 oz. of gin with 1 oz. of syrup over ice, squeeze in a fresh lime wedge and top with soda.
I have done many variations on this recipe, some work, some don’t. You can add other spices to create different tonics that work well with other liquors.

There are two stories I like to tell when people ask me about my philosophy of bartending. They both took place early on in my career and they have shaped everything I have been about since.
When I was brand new to the profession, I was filling in one night on a busy Friday night at Wildwood Restaurant and found myself knee deep in the weeds of the service well, doing all I could to maintain my sanity. An order came in for a 1977 Dow’s Vintage Port, which I pulled from the shelf and poured into the glass, finishing the bottle (think about it), which I deposited in to the recycle bin and then moved on with my work. Now, those of you who have ever done what I had just done, probably know the outcome of this story. Vintage port, especially an old one like that, develop a whole mess of sediment as they age and the last pour of the bottle usually contains all of it. The manager of the restaurant soon came back to the bar with the almost empty glass that looked a little like someone had rid themselves of their last dip of Copenhagen in the bottom of it. The manager scolded me pretty severely and then let me get back to work. At the end of my shift, he discussed the matter and explained a few things about the world of vintage ports and pointed me in the direction I might take to learn a little more. I took him up on that offer and then proceeded to go a few steps further. My lesson for the night: Always know what you are pouring.
The second story also took place at Wildwood. I was again working the service bar and a young guy ordered a rum and coke. I made the drink, in the process finishing the bottle of Bacardi just short of a full pour. I was busy so I figured he wouldn’t notice if I just added a little extra coke and sent him on his way. About five minutes later, I notice him talking to the other, more experienced, bartender complaining about the weakness of his drink. The other bartender walks over to my well and pulls the empty (mistake number 2) bottle from my well to add some more to the man’s drink. I was busted right there as I obviously gave the guy a short pour. Lesson number two: Never take shortcuts!
Why am I telling you this? Well the manager that I spoke of in story number one turned out to be something of a mentor over those years at Wildwood. His professionalism and class were guiding principles for me as I found my way behind the bar. Over the years we became good friends and eventually peers and I always looked to him for an example of “the right way to do things.” His name is Randy Goodman and after all this time, he and his wife Nancy have finally opened their own place. It’s called Bar Avignon and it’s located over on SE Division. I was invited to the opening party and it looks as though they have captured exactly what they are all about. If you appreciate fine Alsatian wines, good food and a welcoming neighborhood vibe, I’d go check the place out. I’m sure he has no recollection of that fateful night back in 1995, but the impact on my career will never be forgotten.

What can I say about Tim Davey? Longtime friend ( from back in his days at Uptown Liquor), unapologetic Red Sox fan (his downfall), Liquor Genius and now, Beaker & Flask employee. I’m really happy to have him in the mix. Tim left the retail liquor business about a year ago and has undergone a rapid transfer to fine bartender. He and I worked together for a brief stint at The Clyde where he got his feet wet behind the bar and helped to build one of the more impressive whiskey selections in the city. He is currently plying his trade over at Castagna Café and working on a feature article for Imbibe Magazine, but he will be joining our team when the time comes. Tim will be taking on the task of “Spirit Sommelier” (although we both hate that term, please suggest alternatives.) He’ll be continuing in his quest to bring about a new understanding of the spirit world through education and introduction of excellent new products to the State of Oregon. In the meantime, outside of Castagna, Tim keeps busy by hosting monthly spirit dinners at various venues around Portland. I’ve had a great time being his bartender for two of these events (Rye & Absinthe) and I’ll be assuming those duties again at his next dinner this month. I’ll just post his press release below:

Italian Bitters: rival flavors to waltz, no intermission

On Monday evening June 16, 2008 at the Cleaners event space
in the Ace Hotel, there will be an Italian Bitters dinner. There will be
fivecourses, spirit pairings, educational interludes, and delight. Doors
will open at 6:45 pm, dinner is at 7:00. This is spirit dinner #4: the
collaboration of Timothy Davey and Kelley Swenson. Your chef is Mr.
Jack Yoss of Ten01.

The diversity of Italian bitters provides provocative opportunities
for spirit pairings. You can anticipate thoughtful cocktails and neat
servings. Expect a new twist to take “flight.” If you have any
questions, please do not hesitate to respond via email. For parties
new to this format, a word: a buoyant environment will ensue. We look
forward to guiding you through this wonderful experience.

To make a reservation please email Timothy: thetimmyd@gmail.com.
Please include your full name and the number of persons in your party.
Interested parties will receive an email to confirm their reservation.
The cost of this dinner is $85/person, including gratuity. Seating is
limited. If dinner #3: absinthe is any indication, seats will fill up
quickly.

host: timothy davey; kelley swenson
chef: jack yoss

June 16, 2008
1014 SW Stark Ave.
the Cleaners
6:45 pm: doors open
$85/person, includes gratuity

Reservations: thetimmyd@gmail.com

When the subject of my bar comes up in new conversation, I generally get a peppering of three (logical) questions. “What kind of place will it be?” “Where is it located?” and “What’s it called?” Well, I’ve already answered the location query and I’m full of semi-intentionally vague answers as to the kind of place it will be, so I’ll tell you here the story of the name “Beaker & Flask” and what it means to me. If you pay close attention, you’ll probably get a good idea of what the true answer might be to question number one.
Remember a post back when I said that Jerry Thomas was the standard bearer for those of us in the bartender profession? Well, I lied. While he may be considered number one to many, he comes in a distant second (maybe third, fourth…) for me. If I have to name an actual personal hero (and I don’t have many), I would have to say that Charles Baker would probably qualify. Charles Baker, or Chas, as I like to call him, was a world traveler and bon vivant back in the early part of the 20th century. He was an astute connoisseur of fine food, drink and culture and he chronicled his observations in a series of books, the most notable being “The Gentleman’s Companion”. It’s a tough book to get your hands on these days, but there are reprints out there and if you have an interest in cocktails or just enjoy a good read in a somewhat recipiac (can I say that?) format, I would highly recommend seeking it out. I’m not going to go in to what’s in the book, because this is not a book report and it’s not really relevant to the story.
Back in 1998, a very dear friend of mine lost her Grandfather, who passed on after leading something of an extraordinary life in the wine business of Southern California.
Upon going through his vast library, a number of old books about spirits and spirit culture were discovered. With me being a somewhat under educated, yet passionate young barkeep, the books were bequeathed into my care. Among them was a first edition, autographed copy of the aforementioned two volume set “The Gentleman’s Companion”, The second volume was entitled “Being an Exotic Drinking Book or Around the World With Jigger, Beaker and Flask” This book had an immediate impact on me. It touched my inner wanderlust, it sparked my desire to learn more about my craft and most important, it validated my choice of profession. Reading Baker brought out my romantic ideal of bartending. It’s part Hemmingway and part Julia Child. I was talking to my new friend Jimmy Patrick the other night and he made the comment that it took a second or third read to realize that there are recipes in there. And it’s true, the prose he uses tells the story of the drink and every good cocktail needs an origin. I had planned to quote my favorite passage here, but looking through my, now, well worn copy I just could not settle upon a single story as my favorite. Instead, I open blindly to a page and will quote what is written, and you’ll see what I mean.
“NEXT MARCHES the BAKER “HORSE COLLAR” Originated by the author A.D. 1935, upon Running into Stonington, Rhode Island, ahead of a Howling Nor’Easter when Heading South from Lawley’s Yard to Florida in MARMION
This hotter toddy was invented by these sere and palsied hands, quite through luck and accident. Our 56 foot ketch MARMION having just been discharged with a new and costly main trys’l re-rig from Lawley’s Yard, the split-spirit necessary to spreading that fancy triangular bit of canvas became known as the “Horse Collar.” On the run from Cape Cod to New York, we stuck our noses into a snoring nor’easter, which added up so quickly that we dropped the hook at Stonington, Rhode Island, rather than be shaken up any more than necessary. It was nearly November and cold as hades. Well that night all hands screamed for hot rum, and we found no lemons in the lazarette- and to many otherwise cultured folk, a hot rum without a dash of lemon is like the Democratic Party without the ghost of Jefferson, Tom without Jerry, a Cuban without his mistress. But we had oranges!- and thereby hangs a tale. For suddenly we thought of orange peel- and orange peel roasted with wild duck and how superbly fragrant it can become. Scarcely daring to hope for anything virtuous coming out of the effort we proceeded as follows.

Tin cups for mariners, silver julep cups for fancies
Carta de Oro Bacardi, Jamaica, Barbados, or Haitian rum, 2 jiggers
Orange peel, 1 to each cup, cut in unbroken spiral
Brown sugar, 1 tsp per cup
Whole cloves, 6; or powdered clove, 1/4 tsp per cup
Boiling water, enough to fill
Butter, 1/2 tsp, optional”

I carried this book with me to all of my subsequent shifts at Wildwood and then on to my days at Paley’s Place. All the while, marking with paper clips, the pages that inspired new ideas and things I wanted to try. Hell fire bitters, his whole section of Champagne Cocktails and, of course, THE ZAMBOANGA “ZEINIE” COCKTAIL, another Palate-Twister from the land where Monkeys Have No Tails.
Eventually I figured out that this book was valuable, so now it rests, in a zip-lock bag in the back of my liquor cabinet, always ready to drag something new from my mind. When it came time to choose a name for my bar, I harkened back to my days in high school sitting in my friend Chris’ basement thinking of what we were going to name our band. I considered other books I enjoyed (The Joy of Pickling), but it wasn’t long before Chas Baker came to mind and Beaker & Flask it was. I should say that I also have this whole idea about the symbolism of the words Beaker and Flask as well. Beaker meaning the experimentation of what I’m trying to do and Flask symbolizing the true spirit, in its purest form, but that goes to the design of the space and I’ll get into that at a later date.

Me: Guess what?
You: What?
Me: I suck at blogging.
You: Yes, you really do.

I realize I should probably update this a little more often, but I just can’t seem to sit down in front of a computer and bang something out. I have a lot of admiration for those of you that actually do it. For the rest of you I’ll direct you here and here and here for some good work from some interesting people with far greater discipline than I.

Well it’s hot here in Oregon. 96 degrees hot. Patrick Ewing sweaty hot. And that makes me especially lazy. Luckily one of my favorite drinks for a hot weather day is also one of the laziest drinks to construct. I’m talking about the ti’ punch. Very simply, it’s about 2 oz. ( or however much you feel like pouring) of Rhum Agricole (traditionally an unaged, but I like to use one that’s seen a little wood), a bit of cane sugar syrup and a lime peel. All on the rocks, using the biggest, coldest ice cubes you can wrangle up. The beauty of this drink is it gets better as the ice melts, which means it doesn’t matter if you forget you made it and leave it sitting on the counter for half an hour while you take a cold shower to try and cool off. I’d take a picture and put it up here like a good little blogger, but I just don’t feel like it. Imagine.

So if you are wondering about B&F and the possibility of having me make you one of these in the nea future, well we’re in the midst of a “design review” with the city at the moment so we’re all going to have to wait and see what $4000 buys from the city.
I did get a chance to go down to the desert for a spell and happened across a fantastic little (actually it was big) antique shop with an owner who has a thing for antique glassware at affordable prices. I spent some money and started planning a return visit. I have a love of glassware that goes beyond what is socially acceptable and I’ll be writing about that in the near future. Well, maybe.

Other news: The new cocktail guide from Food And Wine Magazine (you can read some more info about this publication here (remember I’m lazy)) is out and there is a recipe for a drink I used to do at Park Kitchen that I called “CK @ PK”, but since I don’t work at Park Kitchen anymore I just called it what it is, a celery kamikaze. I kind of liked the old name, though, because it satisfied my urge to use symbols in drink names. Also, check out the new issue of Imbibe Magazine , the summer drink guide has a recipe for my “Zanahorita”. Hmmm, that sounds kind of good right now too. Gotta go!

Just a quick post to highlight a few articles that came out last week in the local press. I’m not much for self promotion, but I figure if there was ever a time…
Oregonian
Portland Tribune
I’ll havemore to say in the next few days about some things I’ve been thinking about.

So, between the often tedious and somewhat boring elements of opening a bar, I do get to play every now and then. I have my shifts at Clyde Common and they satisfy my urge to interact and create with/for the public at large. My greatest escape, though, at the moment is the public events we have been doing with the Oregon Bartenders Guild. We had originally started to do these programs as a way to get some money in our coffers, being a newly formed organization, but they have turned out to be a whole lot of fun as well. This month we were blessed to have the affable spirits and cocktail writer David Wondrich join us for an event honoring Jerry Thomas. For those of you not obsessed with bartending and all things cocktail related, Jerry Thomas is widely considered to be the standard bearer of the modern craft bartender. Although he began his career over 150 years ago, his style, dedication and overall lifestyle are a model for many of us in the profession. Mr Wondrich recently published a book chronicling the life of Jerry Thomas and we were honored to have him as our guest as we presented our “Tribute to Jerry Thomas” event. I’ll lead you over to my friend Jeff’s website where you can read an account of the days festivities and just finish by saying that I was honored to be a part of the whole thing. If you like, you can go here and check out my photos from the day. As an aside, I’d really like to thank Eric Moore from The Victory (one of my favorite bars in Portland)

and Brian Spangler from Apizza Scholls (my favorite pizza spot)

for providing us with the food to soak up all that booze.

The restaurant business is something of a transient affair. People come and go, in and out of your life, some talented, some just in it for the money, while they plan the rest of their lives. I’m one of the few who has done it for along time and done it in the same place. As a result, I’ve met some amazing people and formed some pretty good relationships in this industry. When word leaked out that I was planning to open my own place, a few people came forward and expressed an interest in working with me to help make Beaker & Flask happen. Let me tell you, that is just about the most flattered as I’ve ever been. I’m going to take this opportunity to introduce you to a couple of friends who have signed on to work at Beaker & Flask and at the same time, express my gratitude for all they have already done.
Doug Paquin, who goes back to my early days at Park Kitchen, was the first to sign up. Doug is a veteran of the Portland dining scene and no doubt you’ve seen him either behind the bar at your favorite local dining establishment or sitting next to you. He’s got the great personable quality I look for in a bartender, good storyteller, full of facts you may not have considered and devoted to creating a positive experience for his customers. We meet up pretty regularly at the Horse Brass and discuss all things Beaker & Flask. He’s taken on the role of “Beer Guy” and I know he’s going to put together a great list.
I am super pleased to have Lance Mayhew in the fold. Lance was one of the courageous folks who contacted me out of the blue when I left Park Kitchen. I knew immediately he was going to be a part of my operation. In the time since, he has, oh, I don’t know, become President of the Oregon Bartenders Guild ,entered, and won, numerous cocktail competitions and become a pretty good confidant. His experimentation is going to be a key factor in the success of B & F. Check out his blog, he is not afraid to get wierd.
Lastly, I have to mention my chef. Ben Bettinger was the long time Chef de Cuisine at Paley’s Place and an old friend. I’ve known Benny since he was just a young pup, doing his internship at Paley’s during my stay there. He impressed everyone so much, that when a job opened, he was immediately brought on as a full time line cook. Over the years, he established himself, took over the kitchen and ran the show during Vitaley’s James Beard Award winning years. His is a talent I treasure and plan to use completely.
Well, I’ve got a few more hooks in the water, so I will be updating as more people come on board. It’s going to be the personality of the staff and the product we put out that will make it work and I think I’m off to a pretty good start.

There has been some request for more information, so I’ll do the blog thing and hopefully answer some questions and provide updates and maybe tell a story or two along the way. As you will come to find out, I ain’t no writer so just get past it and don’t ever mention grammar or spelling in a message or you will be banished and your drink dumped in the sink. I’m not real up to date on blog etiquette, but I know it exists, so I’ll try and not offend anyone unless I mean to. Anyway, let’s begin:
My name is Kevin Ludwig and I’m opening a bar. Well, it’s a bar-slash-restaurant, with the “restaurant” part taking a larger role recently. This has been the ebb and flow I’ve gone through over the last year in making the choices about the kind of place I plan to have. I had a great chef lined up and I was looking to… actually I think I’m diving in to the story a bit too fast. I’ve had many story lines for this blog running through my head for some time now, so it’s probably going to spill out a bit at first. I’ll try and get some themes going and focus myself a bit more. I’ll keep this at an introduction. My name is Kevin Ludwig, and I’m opening a bar called Beaker & Flask right here in Portland, Oregon. It’s located on the corner of 7th and Sandy in the close in, industrial SE. It’s going to be in, what they are calling, “The 720 Building”, which is actually the old Krueger’s Supply building (Krueger’s is still around, they just moved down the street a few blocks). I’m really excited about this location. It’s growing and developing in to a real destination spot for some of Portland’s best drinking and dining and I think I got in just in time. For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been a bartender in Portland for the last 13 years or so. I moved here in 1993 from Pittsburgh, PA with my friend Mike (who also bartends here in town at the Doug Fir) and in that time I’ve spent time behind the bars at Wildwood Restaurant and Bar, Paley’s Place, Park Kitchen and currently Clyde Common. I’ve seen incredible change in the Portland drinking and dining scene, people and restaurants come and go, new restaurants become “institutions” and old timers continuing to plug along just doing their thing. It’s been an amazing education and although I tried to leave once, I’ve found my permanent home here in Portland and it’s time to do my own thing. Check back here every now and then and maybe I’ll have something for you to read as I try and tell the story of Beaker & Flask from the beginning.