Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/391612
94 / the tasting panel / october 2014 STOP NUMBER THREE: The Campbell Apartment, Midtown East Satiated, we headed north to the last stop on our itinerary: The Campbell Apartment, inside Grand Central Terminal. Popular with commuters and local workers after a day at the office, this dimly lit bar is always packed. Squeezing our way towards the wooden bar, the only light coming from the towering stained glass window behind him and a few dim lamps, Bar Manager Elpidio Hernandez made perhaps the most popular drink for this spirit: the Pisco Sour. Although several people lay claim to its invention, the drink itself is a riff on the Whiskey Sour—a combination of liquor, citrus juice and sugar. Over the years, the recipe has been altered to include egg whites and a dash of Angostura Bitters, just like the version that Hernandez whipped up for us. "We added the Pisco Sour to our cocktail list several years ago, and it remains our best-seller," Hernandez says. "We originally had another pisco spirit on our menu, but now we only have Portón, since that's what the clientele kept requesting. It's a great cocktail, and people really love it." Pisco Sour THE CAMPBELL APARTMENT ◗ 2 oz. Portón ◗ ½ oz. fresh lemon juice ◗ ½ oz. eggs whites ◗ 1 tsp. agave ◗ Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until frothy. Add ice and continue shaking until liquid is cold. Serve in a Champagne flute with two dashes of Angostura bitters. Garnish with a lemon twist. Brian Hawthorne relaxes with his Off the Grid cocktail at The Wayland in NYC. STOP NUMBER TWO: The Wayland, East Village Successfully refreshed and cooled, we headed to our next stop: The Wayland in the East Village. Known for its inventive cocktails and flea-market-chic décor (think taxidermied chickens, wooden floors and a stand-up piano with a well-worn patina), this bar nestled between two community gardens is ideal for anyone looking for something original. And, at the bar, Brian Hawthorne did not disap- point. Inspired after eating a jicama salad, he concocted something similar, but in drink form, dubbed "Off the Grid." The spicy tipple is comprised of habanero-infused Portón for a spicy kick that's surprisingly gentle and nowhere near five-alarm territory. "Portón has a very robust complexity," Hawthorne says. "It's almost like sipping a whis- key. It has a lot of intrigue from nose to finish. I tried making the cocktail with several different pisco brands, but Portón was the one that stood out. The cocktail is both savory and spicy." It has proven so popular with guests that Hawthorne plans to keep the six-month-old drink on the menu long after the season. Off the Grid THE WAYLAND ◗ 1½ oz. Portón infused with habanero peppers ◗ 1 oz. jicama juice ◗ 1 oz. fresh lime juice ◗ ¾ oz. simple syrup ◗ 8 cilantro leaves ◗ Infuse a 750-ml. bottle of Portón with three habanero peppers for up to one day or to taste. Hand-slap cilantro leaves and combine all ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice to combine. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a curled tooth- picked julienned sliver of jicama.