In Memoriam: Hog & Rocks’ Teaches of Peaches

I’ve never been the person to move on easily. I’m still mourning the lost of Teaches of Peaches from one of my favorite places to eat in San Francisco, Hog & Rocks. The place specializes in oysters, ham and whiskey (weird combination but it works) and they created such a delicious concoction of whiskey, peaches, and I don’t remember what else. Unfortunately, the drink was discontinued fall or early winter last year (I believe my waitress told me an instrument needed to make it was broken but it could have just fallen out of season)and I still crave and MISS IT. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a refreshing whiskey drink.

The drink was replaced by an Old Fashioned during the winter (logical but not the same) and now by a Balaton Cherry Flip, a drink that consists on cherry syrup, rye, lemon, and egg, somethingthat I can’t wait to try out the next time I attempt to gorge myself on oysters.

UPDATE: Hog & Rocks let know via Twitter that Teaches of Peaches will return in June. Thank the Lord Jesus.

If you’ve been looking for a nice replacement for this goddess of a cocktail, here’s one called the Whiskey Peach Smash.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 Small peach, pitted and cut into quarters
  • 2 Lemon wedges
  • 1 oz Special syrup*
  • 1.5 oz Bourbon
  • 1 Mint sprig
  • Garnish: Mint sprig and peach slice
  • Glass: Rocks

PREPARATION:

Muddle the peach and lemon in a shaker with the special syrup. Add the bourbon, mint sprig and ice, and shake well. Double strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and a peach slice.

*Special Syrup

Combine one part honey syrup (2 parts honey mixed with 1 part water) and two parts agave syrup (2 parts agave nectar mixed with 1 part water).

Anyway…

RIP Teaches of Peaches, you will never be forgotten.

(but still check out this spot)

 Hog & Rocks

 3431 19th Street @ Mission

San Francisco, CA 94110

Milkmade

Ever since I discovered this, I’ve been a fan of alcoholic ice cream. So when I ran across the blog of NYC based Milkmade, a company that personally delivers their  handmade ice cream to their monthly subscribers, I was pretty juiced to find some boozy ice cream mixed in with other unconventional flavors. Here are three I would like to try.

Grady’s Manhattan - cold-brew coffee spiked manhattan cocktail ice cream

Bourbon Brownie Batter - straight bourbon ice cream loaded with brownie batter

Tom Collins - gin-spiked lemon ice cream

And on a non-booze note, yes and thank you. Too bad they’re not in the bay.

What I’m Drinking Now: Full Boar Scotch Ale

Image

You know what I love about sunny weather?

Nothing.

Thats why on this beautiful day (perfect 60 degrees), I’m in my bed with the curtains drawn and drinking this beer that I picked up at a liquor store on the way home from work. Maybe I should be sitting in a park somewhere but I knew that I wanted to be surrounded by alcohol and artificial darkness.

Anyway, I’ve heard of the Wee Heavy style (Scotch) ale  before but never drank one before now and this is my first beer from Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company. If first impressions actually mean something, I’m not sure if I’ll be touching scotch ales again. I don’t hate this beer but I certainly don’t love it. If I were to grade it, Full Boar would get a nice, steady “eh.”  I wish Devil’s Canyon had a page on this brew so I can learn more about it.  I just picked up this beer because I got smitten by the label.

I didn’t buy this beer with any expectations but with 7.4% ALC, I was expecting it be even a little bit more heavy (my fault for not reading the label). When taking a sip, you get a big punch of smokey…nothingness. Okay, well the label says its a smokey peat moss but its not remarkable or notable by any means. Its not until the finish that I detect the sweetness of caramel and chocolate. Perhaps I should invest in a tulip glass to develop the taste.

I will say that it paired with my steak pretty nicely. (I’m in the living room now, I don’t eat in bed)

Hopefully, there are better scotch ales out there. Any suggestions?

And photo was taken on instagram (follow me!)

God, I’m drunk.

The Day Drinker: Luna Park

I admit that when it comes to food, it doesn’t take much to please me. When I lived in Stockton, my favorite place to eat was a taco truck parked in an empty lot on a street littered with gas stations and liquor stores. Moving to San Francisco has definitely spoiled me in terms of great restaurants and I have many favorites but believe me when I say that Luna Park is in my top five.

My friend, Tea and I went to Luna Park on the 4th of July because we were craving their steak and fries (which I devoured before thinking of photographing) but I’ve always loved their drinks. Tea got a manhattan while I strayed away from whiskey and had a margarita and a tequila sour. I recognize now that having tequila on Independence Day is a weird choice but I like to think I made a statement. The one thing that I love about Luna Park’s drinks is that they all seem really fresh and flavorful.

By the time dinner was over, I was pretty full and boozy but you just can’t leave that place without getting their chocolate chip bread pudding. I can’t even go on because there are no words.

So good.

Luna Park San Francisco

694 Valencia Street (near 18th)

San Francisco, CA, 94110

The Hancock Room

Picnics and fireworks aren’t really my thing so I didn’t really plan on doing anything for the Fourth of July besides have dinner with my friend, Tea (more on that another day) but when my pal Michelle mentioned an American history themed bar in Chinatown, it was pretty obvious I had to go there and the fourth was the perfect day to do it.

Usually, you’ll need a reservation to enter The Hancock Room but the rule was lifted in celebration of the holiday. The first thing that pops out to you when you walk inside is the decor. Vintage tufted black leather couches, the Betsy Ross flag and the vintages lamps, it looks like you stepped into a pre-colonial smoking room.

However, the best decor in the Hancock Room is hands down the artwork. From Abraham Lincoln sitting on a bear with a machine gun to George Washingtown shooting down zombies (I wish I had a photo of that one), the art is incredible. While I waited for my friends to show up at the bar, I talked to John, the before mentioned owner/bartender. He said that a lot of the inspiration to owner up the Hancock room came from finding all these paintings of our earlier presidents doing super natural things, a juxtapose of how presidents were perceived back in the day. He was interested in doing something different (he’s also the owner of Sip Lounge) and wanted to use his interests of politics and history. Deciding to ditch the popular speakeasy route, John went old school, really old school. After acquiring the paintings, finding couches of craigslist to be reupholstered along with chandeliers and other decor, The Hancock Room opened this year.

As far as drinks go, The Hancock Room has a menu of reinvented cocktails based on brandy, gin, rum, bourbon, rye and scotch. I stuck to the whiskey drinks and to be honest, I don’t really have a favorite, I enjoyed them all. I would highly recommend the George Washington, though.

The drinks all have names reflecting the times like ‘The Revolution’ and ‘Crossing the Delaware’ and incorporate Lillet Blanc, Port, Sparking Wine and other ingredients you won’t find at your every dive bar and with drinks running at about 10 bucks a pop, you’re paying for high quality stuff. I even had John make the 19th Century. Didn’t like it so much.

While I don’t see myself here all the time, I’ll definitely be returning when I feel like having good drinks and having a fun time in a truly unique environment. Let’s just hope I remember to make reservations 48 hours in advance.

The Hancock Room

1350 Powell Street

 San Francisco, CA

What I’m Drinking Lately

Is it appropriate to post photos of a half-drunken whiskey bottle? Oh well.

Recently, I’ve been obsessed with Bulleit Bourbon. Its the only thing I’ve been drinking lately and has caused many hangovers at work. I don’t have much time and this is a pretty popular whiskey so no review today but I assure you, if you haven’t had it before, its delicious.

I usually just drink it neat or with an ice cube or two but it looks like a Bulliet Mint Julep is in the immediate future.

The Bulliet Mint Julep

Ingredients:(Serves 12)

  • 15 oz Bulleit Bourbon
  • 30-40 fresh mint leaves
  • Simple syrup solution (1 cup sugar and 1 cup water)

Preparation:

  1. Wash mint leaves, pat dry and put them in a small mixing bowl. Cover with 3 oz of Bulleit Bourbon and let soak for 15 minutes.
  2. Remove mint, then place in a clean cotton cloth and wring over bowl, bruising the leaves. Dip back into bourbon and wring again. Repeat several times to create mint extract. Set extract aside for one hour. You can also put the leaves back in the extract for a more concentrated mint flavor.
  3. Combine mint extract (leaves included, if preferred) with simple syrup in a covered glass container or jar and refrigerate overnight.
  4. Fill julep cups with crushed or shaved ice and insert a fresh mint sprig. Add 1 oz of Bulleit Bourbon to each cup. Add marinated julep mixture to taste.

(thanks aboutaaron for the bulliet glass and recipe is from here)