December 11 – Barbados

The Caribbean island of Barbados in the Lesser Antilles is the most eastern of all Caribbean islands. According to archeological findings the first settlers or visitors to Barbados may have landed on the island in 1600 BC. A more permanent Amerindian settlement was established around the 4th to 7th centuries AD. Barbados was populated by the Kalinago people since the 13th century.

Spanish navigators claimed the island for the Spanish Crown in the 15th century and it first appeared on maps in 1511. After the Spanish the Portuguese took it over in the 1530s until they gave way for the English when they arrived in Barbados in 1625 and later made it into a British colony. Even after the islands declaration of independence in 1966 it was actually part of the British Commonwealth until December 1st 2021 when Barbados transitioned to a republic and thus removed Queen Elizabeth as head of state.

Barbados is also the birthplace of rum. Mount Gay is the oldest operating rum distillery in the world and was founded in 1703. Thanks to its almost perfect conditions for growing sugar cane and the fact that its limestone bedrock is a fantastic filter for rainwater Barbados was almost destined to become a great rum producer. 

Rum aside, Barbados is famous for its green monkeys, flying fish, fish fries and, of course, Rihanna who in November 2021 was named national hero and received the title, the Right Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty.

Barbados is the only Caribbean island (and one of only four countries) to have had regular Concorde service. The route from London to Barbados was kept from 1987 until 2003. The flight took only three hours and 45 minutes instead of almost 9 hours.

December 10 – Hurricane

The Hurricane is another true classic of New Orleans even though there is said to have been a cocktail called Hurricane served at the 1939 New York World’s Fair in Queens. Little is known about this version apart from it probably being made with rum and that it was served in a hurricane glass.

The second time a cocktail called Hurricane saw the light of day was at Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans during the 1940s. This is the version that is still served today and it came into being out of necessity. During and after WWII Scotch and Bourbon were hard to come by but New Orleans had rum arriving from the Caribbean by the boatload. The spirits distributors thought up a clever way to deal with this. They required the bars to buy several cases of rum with each case of Scotch. This left Pat 0’Brien’s with more rum than they knew what to do with. Benson “Pat” O’Brien and his partner Charlie Cantrell, probably together with their head bartender Louis Culligan, decided to create a new cocktail to help use up the excess cases of rum. A potent cocktail with 4 oz (120 ml) rum.

The hurricane glass, giving the cocktail its name, is modeled after the classic hurricane lantern. This glass is called Riflesso and was designed by Isabel Antonia Giampietro in 1958.

December 9 – Martini

The Martini is likely to be a descendant of the Martinez, a cocktail first appearing in the 1860s at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco. Exactly when the Martini was invented though is impossible to say. 

The first published recipe for a cocktail named Martini was in 1888. This version was essentially the same cocktail as the then already established Marguerite, made with equal parts Old Tom Gin (sweeter than the London Dry Gin), Vermouth, sugar syrup and a hint of Orange Curaçao and orange bitters. 

Over the years the Martini became increasingly dry with the London Dry Gin taking over from the Old Tom and the bar goers starting to favor Dry Vermouth (also called French Vermouth) over the sweet one. At the turn of the 19th century Martini & Rossi started marketing a Dry Vermouth on the American market with the tag line “It’s not a Martini unless you use Martini”.

Today a Martini, or Dry Martini, can mean anything from a 1:5 ratio to a 1:32 ratio or even just a quick Vermouth spray with an atomizer on the inside of the glass before pouring ice cold gin. 

When ordering a Martini it might be good to know that James Bond’s catchphrase “Shaken, not stirred” will render the cocktail cooler than stirring it but the reason a bartender will, almost by default, stir it instead is that this way you will achieve a less cloudy Martini without shards is ice floating on the surface.

The glass is called Delta and was designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Alessi to be used on Delta Airlines.

December 8 – Seagram Building

The Canadian distiller the Seagram Company announced plans for its new headquarters in 1954 designed by Periera & Gluckman. The plans were however rejected after Phyllis Lambert’s objection. She was the director of planning and the daughter of Seagram’s owner Samuel Bronfman. Her masterstroke was to choose Ludwig Mies van Der Rohe as the architect instead with Philip Johnson designing the interiors.

The Seagram Building sits on 375 Park Avenue, between East 52nd and 53rd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and stands 515 feet (157 m) tall with 38 stories. The construction began in 1955 and was completed in 1958.

When designing the Seagram Building, Mies van der Rohe made a bold move to create a pink granite plaza in front of the building. Complete with two large fountains the plaza leads into the floor to ceiling glass lobby that erases the boarder between interior and exterior.

The Seagram Building was used as a model for several neighboring buildings and is still today a great example of the International Style New York skyscraper.

Until 2019 the Seagram Building housed the iconic restaurant the Four Seasons with its two separate sections the Grill Room and the Pool Room, both designed by Philip Johnson.

December 7 – Espresso

Espresso is not a bean, blend or roasting method, it is a method of preparation. The first single-shot espresso machine was made by Luigi Bezzerra in 1901. It was enhanced by Desiderio Pavoni in 1903 but not until after WWII the espresso with crema was born. This was thanks to a Milanese café owner called Achille Gaggia who found a way to increase the water pressure from 2 to 8 bars.

The espresso cup is called Coffee & Cigarettes and was designed by Carlo Trevisani in 2006.

December 6 – El Diablo

A little bit lesser known than the Margarita or the Paloma the El Diablo is still a classic tequila cocktail.

Originally it was called Mexican El Diablo it was created by Victor Bergeron and first printed in his “Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink” in 1946. 22 years later in “Trader Vic’s Pacific Island Cookbook” the name was shortened to El Diablo, the name that is most often used today.

The original recipe calls for ginger ale but at the time ginger ale was spicier than most versions today and was closer to a modern day ginger beer.

The glass called Ginette was designed by Kenji Matsuura for Sugahara in 2010.

December 5 – Capri

Just a short boat trip from Naples, and an even shorter one from Sorrento, lies the beautiful island of Capri. Famous for its lemon groves it is overlooking the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. Capri is a must see when traveling the south of Italy. And of course, Emilio Pucci opened up his very first boutique, La Canzone del Mare, in Capri's Marina Piccola in 1951.

December 4 – Boulevardier

This cocktail is essentially a rough version of a Negroni, the classic Italian cocktail invented by Count Camillo Negroni in 1919. The name Boulevardier can loosely be translated to “Man about town”. This drink was created in the 1920s by Erskine Gwynne, an American writer, socialite and nephew of railroad tycoon Alfred Vanderbilt.

Gwynne started a magazine by the same name, “Boulevardier”, in Paris for American expats and the cocktail was presumably named after the magazine. Erskine Gwynne often frequented Harry’s American Bar in Paris and the Boulevardier became popular after Harry MacElhone added it to his book “Barflies and Cocktails” in 1927.

The glass was designed in 1932 by Finnish designer Aina Aalto and is called Bölgeblick.

December 3 – Lynchburg Lemonade

In 1980 Tony Mason, a restaurant owner in Huntsville Alabama created the Lynchburg Lemonade. It was named after the city of Lynchburg Tennessee, home to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. Jack Daniel’s was established in 1866 and was one of the first distilleries registered in the United States. To this day the original recipe is used when producing Jack Daniel’s and even though they refer to the product as Tennessee Whiskey, the product meets every legal requirement to be called a Bourbon.

Interestingly, Lynchburg is in Moore County, a county that has been dry since 1910 so visitors to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery will not be able to sample any of the products.

The glass is called Puzzle and was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 2003 for Venini. Sottsass is most famous for starting the Memphis Design Group in Milan in 1980.

December 2 – Guggenheim Museum

In 1943 Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to design “a monument” for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. After 6 separate sets of plans and a 16-year delay due to WWII and the death of Mr Guggenheim the museum was finally ready to open in 1959. This was 6 months after Frank Lloyd Wright himself passed away. The building was immediately recognized as an architectural gem and is by many thought to be the the most important building in Frank Lloyd Wright’s career.

December 1 – White Lady

The White Lady was invented by Harry MacElhone, twice. First in 1919 at Ciro’s Club in London when it featured crème de menthe, triple sec and lemon. This version had a 10 year run. In 1923 Harry bought his own bar, the legendary Harry’s New York Bar, in Paris and in 1929 he reinvented the cocktail and changed the crème de menthe to gin creating yet another classic cocktail.

The glass is called Marja and was designed by the Finnish designer Saara Hopea in 1956.

December Discountdown Extravaganza

Fine art print X-mas Countdown. 25 days of beautiful prints from the mobilita.se/shop starting today, Wednesday December 1. Check mobilita.studio for a new discount every day until December 25. Have a fabulous December.

Happy Halloween y'all

Vampire Elvis with glowing eyes and a smug smile although a seemingly sloppy eater. But the lei made of human bones really does becomes him. After three years of Ratpack pumpkins it was high time for the King.

Shaken, Stirred Or Dirty

The Martini is likely to be a descendant of the Martinez, a cocktail first appearing in the 1860s at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco. Exactly when the Martini was invented though is impossible to say. 

The first published recipe for a cocktail named Martini was in 1888. This version was essentially the same cocktail as the then already established Marguerite, made with equal parts Old Tom Gin (sweeter than the London Dry Gin), Vermouth, sugar syrup and a hint of Orange Curaçao and orange bitters. 

Over the years the Martini became increasingly dry with the London Dry Gin taking over from the Old Tom and the bar goers starting to favor Dry Vermouth (also called French Vermouth) over the sweet one. At the turn of the 19th century Martini & Rossi started marketing a Dry Vermouth on the American market with the tag line “It’s not a Martini unless you use Martini”.

Today a Martini, or Dry Martini, can mean anything from a 1:5 ratio to a 1:32 ratio or even just a quick Vermouth spray with an atomizer on the inside of the glass before pouring ice cold gin. 

When ordering a Martini it might be good to know that James Bond’s catchphrase “Shaken, not stirred” will render the cocktail cooler than stirring it but the reason a bartender will, almost by default, stir it instead is that this way you will achieve a less cloudy Martini without shards is ice floating on the surface.

So whether you prefer it 1:1, 1:3, 1:5, 1:7, 1:32, with a lemon twist or an olive (or three), having it dirty (with a dash of olive brine), with a pickled onion (called a Gibson) or any other way. There is basically a Martini for everyone.

Cinnamon Roll Day

Every year on October 4 we celebrate one of the most unnecessary “national holidays” in Sweden. The Cinnamon Roll Day. But then again, why not celebrate everything you can celebrate? The cinnamon roll is almost a requirement at a Swedish coffee break (Swedish Fika) but if you don’t happen to live close to a bakery making these delicious rolls, here is how to.

The recipe is taken from the lovely Nockeby Bageri in Stockholm where they make one of the best rolls around.

The prints are available in black or white. Perfect on the kitchen wall so you never have to look for the recipe again.

Enjoy!

¡Viva México, Viva La Paloma!

On September 16, 1810 the Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the bell of the church in Dolores, Mexico to rally the citizens of Dolores to revolt against the Spanish government. Even though he wasn't immediately successful this day is regarded and celebrated as Mexican Independence Day or the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores). What better way to celebrate Mexico than to have a Paloma.

The Paloma, meaning dove in Spanish, is more popular in Mexico than the Margarita. It might have gotten its name from a popular Mexican folk song from the 1860’s even though it was created almost 100 years after the song.

Squirt, the first grapefruit soda and commonly used in Palomas, was created in Phoenix, Arizona in 1938. It was advertised as a great mixer with tequila in 1950 but wasn’t actually exported to Mexico until 1955 so the cocktail probably saw the light of day sometime in the 1950s. It might have been the creation of Don Javier Delgado Corona the then owner and bartender at La Capilla in Tequila, Mexico.

The Stacking Glass was designed in 1951 by the Finnish designer Saara Hopea.

Paloma

2 parts Tequila Reposado or Tequila Blanco

1/2 part Lime juice

1 pinch of salt

4 parts Grapefruit soda

Garnish with a lime wheel

Build ingredients in the glass over ice. Add the grapefruit soda and garnish with a lime wheel.

¡Viva México!

Pimm's o'clock

James Pimm was a fishmonger from London and the owner of a chain of oyster houses in the 1800s. Sometime between 1823 and 1840 he invented a drink to help digestion. A mixture of gin, quinine and herbs that he named after himself and served in a cup, hence the name Pimm’s Cup. The drink became so popular it was commercialized in 1865 and sold throughout the British Empire as Pimm’s No. 1. Alongside the gin based No. 1 a number of other versions were created. No. 2 with Scotch whisky, No 3 with Brandy, No. 4 with rum, No. 5 with rye and No. 6 with vodka.

Since 1971 the Pimm’s Cup has been the signature drink at Wimbledon, the oldest tennis tournament in the world, where each year 300,000 Pimm’s Cups are served.

The Tank Highball glass was designed by the British designer Tom Dixon in 2014.

Pimm’s Cup

1 Pimm’s No. 1

3 Lemon soda

Pour Pimm’s No1 over ice into a highball glass. Add Lemon soda and stir gently. Garnish with a mint sprig, a cucumber slice and a strawberry.

Happy National Whiskey Sour Day

As everything important in life, the Whiskey Sour has its own celebration. At least in the US where today, August 25, is National Whiskey Sour Day.

This is an old one. It was first published in The Bartender’s Guide by Jerry Thomas in 1862 but the concept of the sour was known and loved for over a century prior to that. During the 18th Century sea travel, especially from Europe to America, was an ordeal with malnutrition and scurvy taking its toll on the sailors. Thanks to Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon, The British Royal Navy started to mix lemon or lime with rum and water to stave off scurvy and so the sour was born, one of the oldest types of cocktails. From there it was only a matter of time before someone started to make a sour with American whiskey and made it what it is today.

The Whiskey Sour is traditionally made with whiskey, lemon juice, sugar and egg white, an ingredient that will smooth out the tartness of the lemon juice. Today the egg white is optional and you often find bars serving the Whiskey Sour without it.

On a side note, calling a spirit diluted with water a grog is also because of Vice-Admiral Vernon. He was known for wearing grogram coats giving him the nickname ”Old Grog”.

The glass called Dondolino was designed by Setsu & Shinobu Ito in 2016 and is painted using a technique with Japanese lacquer called Urushi, generally applied on wood.

Whiskey Sour

2 parts Whiskey

1 part Lemon juice

1/2 part Sugar syrup

1/2 Egg white

3–4 drops Angustura bitters

Shake Whiskey, lemon juice, sugar syrup and egg white without ice (dry shake). Add ice and shake again. Strain into glass and add three to four drops of Angustura bitters. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.

Enjoy!

From El Draque to Mojito

In 1586 Sir Francis Drake sailed into to Havana Cuba. He was sent on a mission by the British Crown to the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean to plunder their gold. The reason he came to Cuba was another. His crew was suffering from scurvy and dysentery and they needed to find a remedy. The locals brought him Aguardiente (an early form of rum), lime, mint and cane juice, a concoction they started to call El Draque, the name they gave Sir Francis Drake. The drink did not however cure himself and Sir Francis Drake died of dysentery outside Panama in 1596.

The later name Mojito might have derived from the Cuban mojo, a sour citrus sauce made by African slaves.

This blend of alcohol, lime, mint and cane juice was most likely drunk by slaves on the Caribbean plantations to help with their own ailments long before Drake came to try it. But not until the American Prohibition when the American cocktail party moved to Cuba the drink started being served as a highball with soda and the Mojito as we now know it was born.

The highball glass was designed by Finnish glass designer Nanny Still in 1964 and is called Flindari.

Coffee and Baked Goodness

Time for the next exhibition at Nockeby Bageri. A series of illustrations of baked goods from Nockeby Bageri in the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden. The recipes are made by Håkan Johansson, master baker and the winner of Bakery Masters 2014 (The World Championship). The wonderful pastries and breads are mixed with classic Italian coffee in cups made by some great designers. The exhibition is ongoing and will be up during the month of April.