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43A U G U S T S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
When sorting out this issue of My Table dedicated to
entertaining and hosting, we knew we wanted to give our readers a
look at the spirits collections of some of Houstons best-known bar
professionals. It takes a person with confidence to allow the world
into your home, not to mention rummage through your stuff.
Thanks to these four folks who shared their at-home entertaining
stage with us!
photos byKevin McGowan
Behind the BarINDUSTRY PROS GET CANDID AND DE-CANTED AT HOME
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44A U G U S T S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
mike raymond
co-owner of Reserve 101 Whiskey Bar
Obviously, my bar is very whiskey-centric theres a bottle of
Makers White, a Bulleit 10 sample from before the label was
approved, a bottle of Jim Beam finished in Pedro Ximnez Sherry
barrels, a bottle of the first batch of Garrison Brothers from
right here in Texas.
We have a lot of signed bottles, like this Angels Envy (pictured
at left) signed by Lincoln Henderson, who also invented Gentleman
Jack, Jack Single Barrel and Woodford Reserve. Sadly, he passed
away back in 2013 a dear friend who is missed. I have a bunch of
bottles that [Wild Turkey master distillers] Jimmy and Eddie
Russell have signed that mean a lot.
The most prized bottle on my bar is a laboratory bottling of the
Dalmore 1969, finished in calva-dos barrels. It has never been
released. It was a nice wedding gift from [Dalmore master
distiller] Richard Paterson last year when my wife and I got
married.
I also have a collection of mezcals. Its my guilty pleasure. If
Im going to cheat on whiskey, its going to be with mezcal.
BAR INGREDIENTS:
4 parts whiskeysigned bottles
laboratory bottlingfirst batch bottles
2 parts mezcal
If Im going to cheat on whiskey, its going to be
with mezcal.LABORATORY BOTTLING OF THE DALMORE 1969
A FEW OF RAYMONDS WHISKEYS
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45A U G U S T S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
david corda
executive chef of the Corda Restaurants
The furniture piece I use as my bar was at my parents house when
I was a kid growing up. My dad says he bought it in 1983. There is
a secret compartment that swirls around at the bottom that I used
to fit in and hide in. Sitting on the top of the bar is a bottle of
Cousio-Macul Cabernet Sauvi-gnon, which was given to our family as
a gift from the winery on the day we closed Amricas on Post Oak in
2011. They make our Corda Corazn Cabernet Sauvignon that is sold in
our restaurants.
Next to it is a bottle of Achaval Ferrer Quimera, signed by
Santiago Achaval, my favorite winemaker in Argentina. Also on the
top are two bottles of Veuve Clicquot that I bought when I was in
culinary school in Paris about 10 years ago.
Besides a few bottles of wine and port, most of the bar is
different rums. Ron Cartavio is my favorite rum right now. Its out
of Peru and made in the solera method, which is basically blending
different vintages together. Also on the shelves is Clement, a
fantastic rhum agricole from Martinique that we carry at the
restaurants.
I also have a bottle of Flor de Caa. This is the pride and joy
of Nicaragua, where our family is from. Its aged in bourbon barrels
and actually makes a great Manhattan with the addition of vermouth
and bitters.
BAR INGREDIENTS:
3 parts rum
2 parts wine
1 part port
Ron Cartavio is my favorite rum
right now.
CORDAS RUM COLLECTION
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46A U G U S T S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
alvin schultz
district manager for an electronics manufacturer and CEO (chef
executive
officer) at Eat Drink Experience private catering
The home bar is a bit crazy, as it overlaps with the kitchen
lab. Ive got a 3L centrifuge, a rotary evapora-tor, professional
carbonation system, liquid nitrogen and a growing collection of
mezcal.
I like stirred drinks at home because I dont always keep fresh
juices. Its nice to be able to grab a few shelf-stable ingredients
and a big hand-chipped ice cube from ice chef Hope Clarke and whip
up a negroni variant or my current favorite cocktail, the Vieux
Carr, which is made of rye whiskey, Cognac, vermouth, Bndictine,
Peychauds and Angostura Bitters.
The drinks I made for this photo shoot are a strawberry rhubarb
gin and tonic, made with fresh local strawberries and rhubarb from
Atkinson Farms; six-month-old eggnog (I plan on making a new batch
every year and continue to age it); Peach Justino made with the
Justino technique from James Beard Award-winning author/bartender
Dave Arnold, which consists of blending fruit and booze together
with a few milliliters of an enzyme called pectin SPL, then
clarifying it in the centrifuge; and lastly the Killens Beef Rib
Pechuga Mezcal, which is made with Mina Real Espladin Mezcal,
macerated with lemons, lime, grapefruit, serrano, Korean chili,
guajillo, hazelnut, black garlic, black shallot and a Killens beef
rib. The ingredients were pureed after two weeks and re-distilled
through the rotary evaporator. Its served in a copita with oranges
and worm salt.
KILLENS BEEF RIB PECHUGA
SIX-MONTH-OLD EGGNOG
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47A U G U S T S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
Supatra Yooto and Kay Soodjai, owners since 1982 Weekdays
11-9:30 Weekends Noon-9:30
713-524-9614 1209 Montrose at W. Clay
hun Kay Thai Cafe
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How to Eat in the HeatTry our cold dishes like Summer
Orchard
BAR INGREDIENTS:
3 parts kitchen lab3L centrifuge
rotary evaporatorcarbonation system
liquid nitrogen
2 parts mezcal
1 part misc.
my current favorite cocktail:the Vieux
Carr
SCHULTZS BAR
Wild About Sundays
713.861.8666 rainbow-lodge.com
Outstanding Gulf Seafood and Wild Game
Sunday Brunch Specials $2 mimosas
and champagne
Sunday Night Specials half price wines
by the glass After 5
2011 Ella Boulevard at East TC Jester In the Heights
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48A U G U S T S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
sheridan fay
spirits professional and new mom
For me, the bar is more a collection of what I have, which is
why I wanted to highlight my garden. Ill look outside and see that
I have lemongrass, I have sage, two different types of rosemary.
Ill think, How am I going to play with that today? Its a passion
project.
I also have a passion for collecting vintage decanters, decanter
labels and vintage glassware. Inside, I renovated our elevator
shaft to make a temperature-controlled wine and spirits cellar.
There are plenty of Rieslings in there, but there is also a lot of
everything.
The piece of furniture in my dining room holds all of the
high-end scotch as well as my collection of Absolut Vodka. I
collect Absolut with the labels that are from all over the world. I
love their product and their marketing campaign. In the glass-paned
cabinets that line my kitchen wall just below the ceiling, I keep
empty bottles that have significant meaning to me.
The bottle that probably means the most to me in my entire
collection is a signed, empty bottle of Frank Family Cabernet
Sauvignon. A friend of mine was killed on his way to meet friends
and myself for lunch in New Orleans. Frank Family was his favorite
winery, so we turned around to Baton Rouge and drank and signed
bottles in remembrance of him.
BAR INGREDIENTS:
2 parts scotch
2 parts Absolut Vodka
1 part wine
1 part misc.
A VIEW OF FAYS GARDEN
VINTAGE DECANTERS
FAYS ABSOLUT COLLECTION