Dang. I got lit again at this year’s Manhattan Cocktail Classic!

Last year, at the first  event, I polished off everything put in front of me. And by the time we left, I could barely walk in a straight line. That class was held at Rouge Tomate, with a bevy of fresh cocktails totally made with organic and house-made ingredients.

This year, I made sure to eat a good meal ahead of time. I drank plenty of water before and during the event. I poured lots of delicious amazing remnants of cocktails into the slop basket. And I could barely walk straight AGAIN!

Each of the 100 plus events at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic is different, sponsored by a different successful bar in Manhattan, with different sponsors.

Our first event this year was Ode to Eau held at Middle Branch, and sponsored by Dipsology, and St. George Spirits. It was fascinating to learn about the importance of water in releasing the volatile oils in spirits. We cleansed our palates with water and crackers. Sipped the delicious St. George liquor straight. Then added half a dozen drops of water, and watched the physical changes in the spirit and the enhanced aroma. It was my kind of science experiment. More spirits were sampled – straight and with water. Numerous cocktails followed. Of course I HAD to sample everything. And with great discipline, I left many cocktails unfinished. Although, I had a death grip on my splendid Boulevardier, made with St. George’s Breaking and Entering Bourbon, and drank every drop.

Team MKHC had an absolute blast at this Ode to Eau event at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. Many thanks to Andie of St. George Spirits, Lucinda of Middle Branch and Adrienne of Dipsology. Higher education. Literally.

A friendly bartender makes all the difference. Add a well made cocktail, and life is darn good. We recently cruised from Singapore to India on one of Azamara’s small ships. Less than 600 passengers. After unpacking and getting the lay of the land, I set off to check out the bars on board. It didn’t take long to find Victor. We felt welcomed, and appreciated his warm hospitality. Part of our daily routine for the next two weeks included sitting at Victor’s bar for a nightly cocktail, and sharing the day’s events with him.

What a charmer, and a new addition to my Bartender Hall of Fame.

Cochin, India – scenic fishing nets, and goats sitting on public park benches. And finding Toddy.

Part of the joy of traveling, is the anticipation, and researching what you would like to see in that new part of the world. I listen to the experiences of those who have experienced that area before. That’s how I learned about drinking Toddy (pronounced Toady) in India.

Our first stop in India was in Cochin, on India’s southern coast. We hired a taxi driver for the day, and began seeing the area. I told him I’d love to try a small taste of Toddy, the sap of the coconut palm tree, which ferments quickly. Like in the course of the day quickly. He shared the very sad news that Toddy was no longer served in public places. Oh darn.

We traveled to a few more sights, then Xavier, our friendly driver, offered to take us to his home for a glass of Toddy, which he buys regularly from a neighborhood vendor.

Of course, this was the highlight of, my day in Cochin! It was a huge treat to see Xavier’s home, visit with his 20 year old son, who had a million questions about the United States, and taste this unique drink. By the heat of the afternoon, the Toddy had fermented and had a vinegary kick to it with lots of delicious true coconut flavor. A very memorable and special drink.

You know a city is supremely interesting when you choose seeing all sorts of sights – none of which involve having a cocktail! (Although, I did ask about finding toddy – a fermented beverage well known in the region. But no toddy found us this stop.) This was our visit to vibrant Penang, Malaysia.

Kek Lok Si Temple – the largest Buddhist temple in southeast Asia.

A fabulous batik factory as far away from the tourist trap areas as possible.

And our favorite thing to do – walking the streets, exploring local grocery stores, and wandering into lively side streets. We savored Asam Laksa, an amazing traditional Malaysian soup. A fish base with tamarind, cucumber, onion, mint, lettuce, pineapple, rice noodles and some heat. Very memorable.

A Singapore Sling at the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel in Singapore! I recently was lucky enough to check it off of my Drinking Bucket List. At the same time, seeing many of the magical sights of Singapore got checked off of my Travel Bucket List.

The Singapore Sling originated at Raffles Hotel. Delicious.

The tradition is to throw your peanut shells onto the bar floor.

Loved the ceiling fans.

Raoul and I really enjoyed walking around the British Colonial style outdoor areas.

Now a future overnight stay at Raffles Hotel has joined our never-ending Travel Bucket List.

When I travel, I’m always on the lookout for edible and drinkable foodie things to bring home as mementos. As I enjoy these treats long after the suitcases are back in the closet, it helps the travel adventure last longer. These flower tea balls came home with us from our amazing journey to Taiwan late last year. As the tea steeps in hot water, the ball slowly opens and blooms. The tea tastes as good as it looks. Of course, you could add a splash of brandy to spice your tea up even more.

This is what the package looks like. We think it says jasmine tea, and it sure tastes like jasmine tea. The pretty pink flower in the middle is globe amaranth (I think). And there could be sunflower parts too. It’s all a fun and tasty mystery.

I received this gorgeous bottle of handcrafted Amer Picon from our friends, Jason and Kathy, at a recent dinner party. Both know their way aroud a cocktail bar. In fact, they soon will be opening the doors of Copperworks Distilling Company in Seattle. (For a glimpse of their beautiful space, remember this?)

Amer Picon is a bittersweet French digestif with a unique orange flavor. A very well respected Seattle bartender and owner of Canon, Jamie Boudreau, shared his own rendition of Amer Picon. Lucky me – I am relishing this enchanting liqueur (thanks again Jason!), and can make more when it is all too quickly gone.

Here is the recipe for:

Amer Boudreau

• 3 bottles Amaro Ramazzotti
• 7 1/2 cups orange tincture
• 3/4 bottle Stirrings Blood Orange bitters
• 3/4 litre Evian

Place all ingredients into a container and stir. Allow ingredients to get to know each other for at least a week. Filter and bottle. Keep excess refrigerated.

Plus a marvelous recipe featuring Amer Picon:

Nirvana Cocktail

• 2 ounces Rittenhouse 100 proof rye
• 1 ounce Amer Picon
• 1/4 ounce Maraschino liqueur
• 1/4 ounce Benedictine

Stir with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with a orange twist if desired.

My growing collection of glassware for cocktails is oozing onto other pieces of furniture. I swear a cocktail tastes better in a pretty glass!

Mama Knows Her Cocktails is taking the show on the road. Boy oh boy, do I have some fun speaking events scheduled for this spring and summer! I’m sharing my techniques, recipes and hot tips on being a gartender – gardener + bartender – at all sorts of fun venues in and around the Seattle area. You can learn how to use the bounty from your herb, flower and vegetable gardens to create delicious garden cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, infusions, bitters, syrups and more.

Please check the Speaking category on Mama Knows Her Cocktails for updates on events and additions to my calendar. Hope you can join me at one of these terrific venues:

May 28, 12:30 p.m. – Overlake Golf & Country Club, Medina (private event)

June 1, 11 a.m. – Watson’s Greenhouse & Nursery, Puyallup

July 14, 2 p.m. – Ravenna Gardens, Seattle

July 20, 10 a.m. – Molbak’s Garden + Home, Woodinville

I still can’t believe how easy this ice cream dessert was to make. And how especially tasty it was to devour. I soaked some raisins in spiced rum, Mama’s Little Helper, to be exact, a few hours before serving time. When you are covering the raisins with the spiced rum, don’t be skimpy with the rum. Use whatever rum you enjoy drinking. When it came time for dessert, I served the raisins in a small glass pitcher with a spoon. Scoop everyone some nice vanilla ice cream, and pass the pitcher of rum-soaked raisins. Everyone can heap on as much as they want, and pour on a little of the soaking rum for some extra wallop.