Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/205467
A Little Kick ◗ 1½ oz. Purity Vodka ◗ ¼ oz. Purity Vodka infused with jalapeño ◗ ½ oz. black currant and cranberry simple syrup ◗ Sprite ◗ Soda water ◗ In a pint glass add ice, both vodkas and simple syrup and stir until thoroughly mixed. Fill the rest of the glass with soda water and a splash of Sprite. Garnish with several slices of jalapeño used for the vodka infusion. Smokey Pickle Brad La Fleche is the Bar Manager at The Saloon, bringing country to Orange County. The dance hall sees 800 to 1,000 covers on weekends, with lines around the block starting at 10 p.m. ◗ 2½ oz. Purity Vodka ◗ Splash of any full bodied single malt scotch (preferably from Islay) ◗ ¼ oz. olive juice brine ◗ Splash of gherkin pickle juice ◗ In a wine glass, add a splash of single malt scotch. Coat the glass with the scotch and discard any excess. In a shaker add Purity Vodka, olive juice and splash of pickle juice. Shake hard and strain into wine glass. Garnish with marinated Persian pickles (pickles marinated in gherkin pickle juice and oriental spiced ginger). One More Please ◗ 2 oz. Purity Vodka ◗ 1 whole lime/ orange fruit (ask for it at your Farmer's Market!) ◗ Soda water ◗ In a pint glass squeeze half of the special lime/orange fruit. Add Purity Vodka. Fill to the top with soda water. As a garnish, use the second half of the fruit diced into small pieces. Use a straw to push the small pieces of fruit throughout the drink and another wedge for garnish on the rim of the glass. ANAHEIM: THE SALOON AT THE RANCH Two-steppers and line dancers unite at The Saloon, sister venue to upscale dining destination The Ranch. The combined 20,000 square feet of food and music is divided by a soundproof wall. The Saloon is a drinking and dance hall, taking up half the space with a large dance floor looking up to a hanging Fender guitar glitter ball, a raised stage for live bands and two wall-to-wall bars. Vancouver native Brad La Fleche is the Saloon Manager. A cross between Brad Pitt and George Clooney in looks, he was hired as a consultant when The Saloon opened and is now deputized to run the place. His farm-to-table ingredients for the bar menu match the philosophy of The Ranch's seasonally driven cuisine. GAME PLAN: Use Purity Vodka in the Bar Manager's favorite drink. GOAL: Like it and rename it. Put some country in it . . . RESULTS: The Purity Dirty is born! LaFleche admits he's a perfectionist, especially when it comes to making drinks. And his go-to cocktail? A Dirty Martini. "Purity has a smooth texture, a clean entry and a vanilla-licorice on mid-palate. No harshness—none at all." LaFleche whipped up a cocktail that was a dichotomy of Purity Vodka's honest clean profile and the brine of the olive juice: The Purity Dirty. A drink you can dance to. The Purity Dirty ◗ Swirl a splash of dry vermouth in a Martini glass and throw it out. ◗ Add 2 oz. of Purity Vodka and a splash of olive juice. ◗ Garnish with two Maytag cheese–stuffed olives. november 2013 / the tasting panel / 57 TP1113_034-65.indd 57 10/24/13 9:19 AM