Dr. Bamboo Monthly Column Archive
Dr. Bamboo
Who is Dr. Bamboo? Some say he is a renegade scientist who renounced his original field of study to dedicate himself to the advancement of cocktail culture. Others claim he is a powerful shaman who practices the forbidden arts of a long-forgotten civilization. Still others maintain he is actually a traveler from a faraway world, sent to our planet as an ambassador of intergalactic fine living. Whatever the truth may be, one thing is certain: He makes a mean Martini. When he's not foraging for obscure drink ingredients and vintage barware, Dr. Bamboo works as a freelance illustrator and is the drinks columnist for Bachelor Pad Magazine.
Brandy Smash - Dr. Bamboo - February 2010
Everyone's talking about ice these days. Granted, a lot of people are discussing it right now because they're chipping it off their cars or scraping it off the sidewalks, but I'm talking about the ice we use in our drinks- Those glorious hunks of really cold water that keep our cocktails the right temperature and add that necessary li'l bit of water to balance everything out.
Savoy Tango - Dr. Bamboo - January 2010
It's the drinking we tend to focus on here in this column, and I can guess with a fair degree of certainty that if you're reading this you've been knocking back respectable amounts of eggnog, cider, Champagne and probably a bunch of other holiday hooch for some time now. This is why it's time for some simplicity.
Cinnamon Fizz - Dr. Bamboo - December 2009
During these holiday times, you'll be getting plenty of thick, sweet, creamy drinks. Egg nog will be cascading into and out of drinking vessels everywhere, and you will be plied with all manner of syrupy, dairy-based concoctions employed as a delivery system for all the usual yuletide flavors: chocolate, mint, apple, etc.
Blue Angel - Dr. Bamboo - November 2009
Not every drink has to be a sledgehammer. There is a segment of the drinking community that believes the only drink worth having is one that's composed of 100% heavy-duty spirits and kicks like an elephant gun. While there are plenty of occasions where a drink like that is entirely appropriate, there are many times when you just need something a little less...direct.
Amazon Fizz - Dr. Bamboo - October 2009
When you hear the word Amazon, what is the first thing that comes to mind? I always think of piranhas. I guess it's because at an impressionable age I got hit with a whole load of spurious information regarding these guys. I remember learning about the Amazon river in elementary school geography, and like most kids, I promptly forgot everything about it except that it was home to MEAT-EATING FISH.
Zamboanga Monkey Tail - Dr. Bamboo - September 2009
Esquire Drinks is a book I recommend anyone pick up if they can. Even though it was originally published as recently as 2002, it's been out of print for some time. Copies can be found from online used book sellers, and it's well worth seeking out. I came by my copy via a flea market, and it's not the first time I've found a nice bar guide amongst the offerings at thrift stores, used-book emporiums and garage sales.
Torii - Dr. Bamboo - August 2009
When talking with my fellow cocktail enthusiasts, the phrase 'gateway drink' often comes up. Of course, this is a variation on the term 'gateway drug', which is used to describe a fairly mild substance that provides entry to the world of illicit substances and ushers the user into a continuum of more intense offerings.
Pariah's Punch - Dr. Bamboo - July 2009
Yes, it's a tiki drink. However, fans of tiki drinks will glance at the above recipe and likely find themselves saying, 'Okay...it's got lime juice, a nice flavored syrup, several other interesting ingredients and even citrus-based bitters. BUT WHERE IS THE RUM?
Redcoat Rickey - Dr. Bamboo - June 2009
One of the things I frequently notice when rummaging through drink recipes is how varied the instructions for a given drink can be. Sometimes the variations are slight- One recipe calls for a half ounce of something, the other calls for three-quarters. Sometimes ingredients are omitted entirely...or other things are substituted. And occasionally you'll see two recipes by the same name that bear no resemblance to each other whatsoever.
Vespa Jockey - Dr. Bamboo - May 2009
Undeniable signs of warmer days to come are turning up everywhere. The obligatory Spring plants are determinedly knifing their way upward. Car windows are being rolled down. People are putting bandannas on dogs. But perhaps the truest signal that Winter has been fully laid to rest is that yours truly has been wearing shorts for well over a month now.
Watchtower Cocktail - Dr. Bamboo - April 2009
Often when I'm making drinks for friends and I ask what they'd like me to make them, they don't have a specific answer. 'What do you suggest?', or 'Anything you feel like making' are common responses. While I enjoy the chance to foist a variety of both classic and contemporary recipes on willing, open-minded subjects, I hate the idea of just blindly throwing random drinks at people and hoping I come up with something they'll enjoy.
Soju Squeeze - Dr. Bamboo - March 2009
I recently read somewhere that making cocktails was more akin to baking than cooking. This claim centered around the idea of precise measurement of ingredients being required for both. And it got me thinking.
High Plains Drifter No. 1 - Dr. Bamboo - February 2009
The Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide often takes a beating from certain segments of the cocktail community. Not in the literal sense (although there are many sticky, stained and scuffed copies floating around out there), but in terms of where it sits in the hierarchy of bar guides.
Amateur Night - Dr. Bamboo - January 2009
I have a friend who refers to New Year's Eve as 'amateur night.' He makes a strict policy of not going anywhere outside his house on the evening of December 31st. It doesn't matter whether the festivities take place at a dive bar, posh ballroom, or a friend's living room- he doesn't go out. Period.
Holly Jolly Roger - Dr. Bamboo - December 2008
At first glance, it may not seem that Santa Claus and pirates have much in common. But closer inspection reveals that the two share quite a bit more than initially meets the eye. Am I suggesting that a beloved holiday figure is barely any different than a bloodthirsty brigand? Certainly not. But I have noticed there are some startling parallels.
Perky Goth - Dr. Bamboo - November 2008
I'm a Hawaiian shirt kinda guy. Not surprisingly, I'm also a sunny-weather kinda guy. I hail from a land where sunlight is usually in short supply, so I take the chance to embrace a Summertime vibe (real or imagined) whenever I can. I also try to stretch Summer out as long as possible, and I set a goal every year to wear shorts until Halloween. However, I usually have to put on long pants at least once before then, when the thermometer thwarts my efforts.
Stone Fence - Dr. Bamboo - October 2008
I like simple drinks. Even though I spend many nights laboring on recipes that often contain a multitude of ingredients (fans of tiki-style drinks will know what I'm talking about), I'm always intrigued by those recipes that elegantly match 2 or 3 components in flawless harmony. There's a Zen-like aspect of restraint to drinks like this, and much of their beauty lies in what isn't there, rather than what is.
