The Purple Pig is doing their first ever cocktail list featuring Amaro Cocktails.

"Amaro", Italian for bitter is an herbal liqueur which is commonly drunk as an after-dinner digestif. Amaros are not as well known. They have a complexity of flavor which is considered somewhat of an acquired taste.

The Purple Pig has the most extensive Mediterranean wine and liquor list in the city with over 15 amaros and growing. What better way to introduce amaros to our guests than to feature signature cocktails for a balanced and approachable flavor profile highlighting the bitter liquor as a distinguishable characteristic in these fun, refreshing spring cocktail selections. Enjoying an amaro cocktail sparks conversation regarding our amaro list and helps guests to explore different ways of enjoying amaro. It's a win/win.

Growing up in a place and time where the most popular cocktail was Jack and Coke never really excited me. Until recently I was a beer and wine kind of guy. I have to say that all of the pre-prohibition cocktails, and craft cocktails with global sprits are pretty cool. I drink many more cocktails now than I ever would have. I make a lot at home trying out different things, making homemade shrubs and mixers. The bartender and chef have kind of merged and is opening up a whole new creative process.

I have been known to have an occasional drink, and when I do, I like my
alcohol plain. Give me a draft beer, a shot of whiskey or Jagermeister or
a glass of Rhone red wine (in a rocks glass, I always break stemware
somehow) If I am out and feel like something more composed I will have a
Manhattan. I do appreciate the effort that goes into many of the cocktails
and feel that there are people that really enjoy them. I also think that
having a beverage program that is involved in the conceptual continuity of
a restaurant is important. So I think that it has its place, I just do not
frequently order that for myself.

I love that cocktails are currently being taken more seriously. I think it takes real skill to put together a well-made drink. I’m not so sure about bartenders calling themselves chefs (which goes back to the whole issue of the word “chef” being thrown around in this country which is a whole other rant in of itself). As someone who has put together dessert drinks like floats, milkshakes, malts, and sodas, I can attest that as much care goes into them as in executing a well-made dish. However, it is a separate skill set, no matter how many “ice chefs” pop up.

The focus on cocktails is intriguing but I still want a glass of wine with my dinner. I went to one of the hip new cocktail lounges twice recently and it took, no exaggeration, 45 minutes for our table to get 4 cocktails each time. It took so long, the manager came around with complimentary glasses of a very cheap cava for us to drink while we waited. And the place was not busy-just the cocktails were so complicated. I am also distressed at the number of childishly sweet cocktails being created. As far as I am concerned, a Tootsie Roll Martini has no reason to exist. Neither does marshmallow vodka. Do we want a bunch of underage drinkers in our restaurants? Do we want a bunch of women throwing up in the restrooms because they are drinking and not eating? I am all in favor of a classic cocktail, a well made cocktail and innovation at the bar. I abhor stupidity in any part of the restaurant business.

Like all fads, this will go out with the same hoopla as the foam movement.
For example, I recently visited a Chicago bar where there was a busy
bartender on a Tuesday night. Their cocktail list looked great, so the 5
of us ordered 5 different cocktails. This turned out to be a huge mistake.
Watching these drinks get maid was like watching a bad show on ABC. Each
drink was treated as if were the Mona Lisa with such care and delicacy. I
do believe I actually saw the guy spank the mint for one of the drinks.
There was muddling, crushing, eye droppers and spanking involved in all of
these drinks. The five drinks took him almost 25 minutes to make and get
to us. We stood there and watched in utter amazement. In the meantime
every other person in the restaurant suffered. We watched server after
server wait for their beers or drinks. And, lets not forget about how the
people at the bar suffered. There were a lot of industry people waiting 45
minutes to get a beer. All because the drink list was designed by NASA.
It may be alright to have one drink take you a few minutes to make, but
when you have that many cocktails that take you that long to make it hurts
everybody in the restaurant. And, from an owners standpoint you want to
get the drinks in the hands of the customers as quickly as possible for so
many reasons.
I don't see why calling a bartender a chef because he uses some fresh herbs
and fruits. A Chef is someone in the kitchen that has devoted time and
energy to hone their craft. There is a desire to feed the guests the best
possible food you can. I fail to see how someone behind the bar can
compare what they do to what a chef does.

The state of the cocktail is much better than it's been in a long time. We can hardly order a decent bottle of liquor these days without the suppliers desperately throwing in the latest flavored vodka absurdity for free. We're collecting them for an exhibit down the road. I think it's a sign of progress that something like Rittenhouse 100 rye is on allocation yet Absolute is giving away their flavored vodka for free. The craft cocktail explosion in Chicago has been amazing and inspiring, and when I get out of town I see the same thing happening all over the country. It's getting easier and easier to find a decent drink.

Concerning cocktails and chefs, there is little difference in the craft of cuisine or the craft of a great cocktail. There are truths which are similar to both disciplines. Stirring, cooking, shaking, temperatures, knife skills etc... a good cook will have mise en place and skill of craft. A poor bar keep who takes 15 minutes to prepare a cocktail is unorganized and not a master of craft. Just as a cook who takes 15 minutes to prepare one dish is not an asset to the brigade. The cocktail culture is in a very exciting state of exploration and thoughtful development, it is great to see those professional bar keep keeping pace with the exploration cuisine.

I think that the wait time is brutal on fussy drinks and that its gotten
out of hand at some places. I am not into fussy food nor a fussy cocktail!
I do think that seasonal drink menus are cool and that the concept is fine
its the fussiness.

It feels like the industrial revolution in cocktail making with classic
recipes being addressed from a modern perspective and techniques being
debated, sought after and perfected. I look forward to the future when
bartenders will have more confidence to take a stand on sustainability
and seasonality and consider the process (cleanliness, waste, ice handling,
etc.) as important as the final product. I think this is such an exciting
time for cocktails because it is headed, with great momentum, in this
direction.

I like that cocktails are being thought about as much as food. Any form of
reaching back to a time when ingredients were wholesome and natural is a
good idea, plus the aspect of cocktail preservation having the same
importance as food preservation is great. Food and beverage go hand in
hand.

i must admit i long for simpler days...an easy gin and tonic in the sun at a sidewalk cafe