Future of Bartending

Where is bartending going?

Is it going the way of food? Where everything is strategically placed on the plate, and you want to take a photo before you dive into it?

When I go out to dinner, I just want a piece of prime rib hanging over the plate, with some mashed potatoes and gravy. Screw the health-conscious public, and calorie counters.

If you're that concerned, stay at home! Eat your celery sticks and carrots!

When I dine, I just want a plate of food, so I don't have to go to Burger King afterwards.

Same for cocktails: what are all these foo-foo drinks?

Do we have to go to some third-world market to get the ingredients?

I have nothing against new cocktails, but let's keep things in order.

DUKE ZEIBERT'S

I was a bartender at Duke Zeibert's Restaurant, Washington, DC. Mel Krupin (who I have the utmost respect for) hired me there in 1975. I was just 5 years out of high-school.
I remember my first shift there. Duke told me: "Make good drinks, but don't give the house away".
I think I was the youngest person on the staff. Most of the waiters were at least 50 years old, (and were either Jewish or Greek) and had been there for years. I remember Victor " Man O War" Friedman. About 75 years old. Waited tables for Duke for about 40 years. (Bless his heart!) And Benny. Another oldtime waiter who had been working for Duke for about 35 years.
Unfortunately, you don't see too many old school bartenders (or waiters) around anymore. Did I say "waiters"? I guess it's politically correct now to call them "servers". Beside myself being a bartending "dinosaur", there's Jim Ross at the Prime Rib, John Boswell at the Hay Adams, Ed Seitz at the Monacle, and Jim Hewes at the Round Robin Bar in the Willard Hotel.
Two of my bartender mentors, Mac (Howard MacNamara) who had been working for Duke since day one, and Leo Veran, a Philipino bartender who had been at Duke's for about 15 years. Mac and Leo were my heroes at the times. Their combined experience was more years than I had been alive.
I remember when the Washington Redskins would win on Sunday afternnoon, and George Allen would come into Duke's for a celebratory dinner. Then the next day. on Monday, Duke's would take a celebratory cake out to Reskins Park.
I remember Sonny Jurgensen coming in, and Eric Severeid also. I once made a drink for Peter Lawford, a member of the Rat Pack. He had brandy and milk, with brown granulated sugar on top. I asked him how the drink was, and he said: "Fabulous!"
Duke used to parade Elizabeth Ray around the dining room, and had flowers waiting on the table for her.
The original Duke's closed in 1980, and I went out to Hawaii to tend bar. Tiring of Hawaii, I came back to D.C., and went back with Duke when he re-opened in 1983 in the Washington Square building, at Connecticut and L Street, NW. He had all the Redskins trophys there, along with the golf trophy and baseball trophy.
Celebrities I saw there: John Travolta, Tony Curtis, Jerry Lewis, Larry King, Jackie Mason, Riddick Bowe, Cybil Shepard, Jamie Lee Curtis, etc. I asked Jackie Mason for an autograph. I told him my wife was Jewish. My shirt must have been wrinkled. He asked me if my wife did my shirts (his pronunciation: "shoits") for me.
I used to do photography for Duke. When Jerry Lewis came in. Duke asked me to do a photo. Duke stood behind Jerry Lewis at the table, and Jerry, who was eating lobster, put the lobster claws in his nose for the photo.
When Gorbachev came in with Larry King, Duke asked me to do photos. I was off that night, and Duke said to come in with my camera, bring my family, and he'd pick up the dinner tab. I told my daughter Liz, about 10 years old at the time, to go stand behind Gorbachev's table. She went there, got scared, and ran off. Larry King called her back, and I got a photo of Liz shaking hands with Gorbachev. Someday Liz will understand Russian history.
We used to have an employee meal every day about 5 pm. One day I missed the meal because I was in the stock room getting supplies. So I asked one of the cooks to make me some scrambled eggs. When Duke walked in the kitchen. he asked who the eggs were for. He came behind my bar, grabbed me by the collar, and started yelling at me in front of all my customers. He asked me if next time, I was going to order a steak. After working the tables in the diningroom, he came back behind my bar, put his arm around me, and asked me how the eggs were. "Terrific", I said. Duke said" "Don't worry aout it, you're alright with me!"
He'd yell and scream, and then later he was your best friend.
I was very proud to have plied my bartending trade at Duke's.
Something to tell my grandkids about.
Currently, I'm head bartender at Rock Creek Restaurant, Friendship Heights, Washington, DC.
Another place I'd like to brag to my future grandkids about!

TRIBUTE TO MARK POLLMAN

TRIBUTE TO MARK POLLMAN


What can I say about a bartender like Mark Pollman?
Bartender extraordinaire is the least.
Mark was one of a kind.
March 12, 2009, was the one year anniversary of Mark’s death.
Unfortunately, Mark and I never met.
Mark was a bartender in St. Louis, Missouri. I am a bartender in Washington, DC.
I first heard of Mark while I was tending bar at Duke Zeibert’s Restaurant in Washington, DC.
One day a copy of Top Shelf magazine came into Duke’s. There was a cover story of Mark in it.
As I read the article and looked at the pictures, I noticed Mark was wearing a Bartender Hall of Fame ring.
Being a Hall of Fame member myself, I immediately sent him a congratulatory letter.
Mark was tending bar at the Fox and Hounds Lounge in St. Louis.
He sent back a very nice reply, and we were friends ever since.
We emailed each other constantly, and spoke on the phone on a weekly basis.
We always talked about meeting, either him coming to DC, or me going to St. Louis.
I always wanted to make a surprise visit to the Fox and Hounds, Since we had never met, my first line would have been: “Hey, bartender, what do I have to do to get a drink in this toilet?”
He probably would have thrown me out (until he realized who I was).
We always talked about having a big bar bash for all the Bartender Hall of Fame members. Mark’s question was always the same: “Who would tend bar?”
Mark would call me almost every Sunday night about 8 pm.
We would always talk about the bar business.
He always gave me good advice. He was my mentor.
But we also talked about life in general.
A funny thing: my mother would also call me every Sunday night (from Florida).
Mom’s phone call was always after Mark’s. I could rely on these phone calls religiously every Sunday night.
Unfortunately, my mother passed away on March 12, 2007.
When mom died, Mark sent me the most comforting letter I’ve ever received from anyone.
He gave me such good advice on dealing with my mother’s death.
Telling me how my mom wouldn’t want me crying, feeling sad, etc.
I had a tribute speech planned for my mom at her funeral, and I told Mark that I would have a hard time reading it.
Mark comforted me so much, that I read it with no problem.
Mark also told me that when his mother died, she told him before she passed away:
“Don’t cry for me, but party hearty”.
Then the unfortunate happened: Mark passed away on the one-year anniversary of my mother’s death.
How ironic!
Mark had a “baby” born some years back.
He published a book titled: “Bottled Wisdom”.
He always referred to his book as his “baby”.
A phenomenal book. A collection of quotes about the bar business, bartending, restaurants, saloons, etc.
Wow!
Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the wake for Mark last year.
I know it was a big bash. Definitely a bar party.
But I did order a shirt that was given away at his wake.
The back of the shirt had a photo of Mark on it.
Below the photo it said:
Mark Anthony Pollman
06-24-43 - 03-12-2008
Above the photo it said:
“Listen Asshole; You Gonna Drink or You Gonna Talk?”
That was Mark!
Mark, from all of us to you:
We love you and miss you!

MANHATTAN COCKTAIL

The Manhattan: probably one of the world's greatest and classiest cocktails ever.
Why don't most bartenders put in bitters? I guess they don't know that a Manhattan takes bitters: in other words, they don't take the time to learn their craft properly.
Or perhaps they're just too stupid and/or lazy to grab a bottle of bitters.
I guarantee, if you walk down the street and go into the first ten bars you come across and order a Manhattan, the bartender will not put bitters in.
Here's the recipe:
2 ounces whiskey
1 ounce sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with a cherry
Result:
a golden sunset!
Enjoy one of the classiest cocktails ever!

Washington,DC Craft Bartenders Guild/Leblon Cachaca

Last Sunday night, March 29, 2009, was a cocktail event sponsored by the Washington, DC Craft Bartenders Guild and Leblon Cachaca.
It was held at Cafe Atlantico, here on 8th Street, NW, in Washington, DC.
Superb!
There was a cocktail reception before dinner, hosted by world-famous bartender Tony Abou-Ganim, from New York. Tony mixed his famous Caipirinha's for everyone. Don't think I've ever tasted a better cocktail! Tony is a master mixologist. I've never seen anyone better.
His Caipirinha's were out of this world! Even though I have 30-plus years bartending experience, I would love to study under him. (Hey, one can always learn!)
After the cocktail reception, and before dinner, after everyone was seated, there were several talks: speakers were Tony, and three people from Leblon Cachaca: Jaime Keller (director of marketing), Steve Luttman (founder and president), and Gerard Sweitzer.
Jaime presented us with a wonderful opening, and introduced everyone.
Tony gave a fabulous talk on the current state of bartending, and Steve and Gerard gave a wonderful and informative presentation on the various rum products from Leblon.
I've never been a serious rum drinker (unlike Ernest Hemingway!), but after listening to their talks, I think I'll become one.
Steve gave us great background information on everything
Jerry (Gerard,but he went by Jerry), gave us a very unique way of sampling three different rums. I felt like I was in a college lecture auditorium, his presentation was so good.
I should have taken notes: he may quiz me next time I see him!
The dinner at Cafe Atlantico was a fantastic meal.
Started with tuna ceviche and Dominican conch fritters.
Entrees were grouper and Feijao Tropeiro.
Dessert was coconut two ways and sorbet.
Cafe Atlantico is owned by world-famous chef Jose Andres.
The staff was more than gracious.
Definitely have to take my wife Joan there!

Singapore Sling

Here's the original Singapore Sling recipe, from Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
It was invented by Hainanese-Chinese bartender Ngiam Tong Boon, around the turn-of-the-century.
The hotel's museum has the safe where Mr. Ngiam Tong Boon locked away his precious recipes. Visitors may view this safe. His original recipe was jotted down on a bar-chit in 1936 by a guest at the hotel who asked the waiter for it.
The Singapore Sling was originally meant as a woman's drink, hence the delightful pink color.
Here's the original recipe from Raffles Hotel:
30 ml gin
15 ml Cherry Brandy
120 ml Pineapple juice
15 ml Lime juice
7.5 ml Cointreau
7.5 ml Dom Benedictine
10 ml Grenadine
Dash of Angostora Bitters
Garnish with a slice of pineapple and cherry.

Enjoy this classic cocktail!

Cachaca and Caipirinha Dinner

Last Sunday night, March 30, 2009, was a cocktail event sponsored by the Washington, DC Craft Bartenders Guild and the LeBlon Company.

It was held at Cafe Atlantico, here on 8th Street, NW, in Washington, DC.

Superb!

There was a cocktail reception before dinner, hosted by world-famous bartender Tony Abou-Ganim, from New York. Tony mixed his famous Caipirinha's for everyone. Don't think I've ever tasted a better cocktail! Tony is a master mixologist. I've never seen anyone better.

His Caipirinha's were out of this world! Would love to study under him.

After the cocktail reception, and before dinner, when everyone was seated, there were several talks by