Scheffel - Hot Shots

DEDICATION We dedicate this book to all the master mixologists out there.

Dude, youre playing with fire here. Sooo, take all of the safety precautions in this book way seriously. Lighting alcoholic drinks on fire without considering safety is stupid. Drinking shots that are still on fire is even stupider and should NEVER be attempted. You will get messed up bad.

And you may also end up burning up lots of s#*t like your bar, your house, your friends you get our drift. Also, if you screw up and light your face on fire or burn down every home on your block, its not our fault. If you try to blame us, well just say, We told you so. We will turn our backs on you and deny your existence. And footage of your idiocy will most likely make its way onto YouTube.

I S THERE ANYTHING MORE INTIMATE THAN SHARING A DRINK WITH SOMEONE? PERHAPS BREAKING BREAD OR DOING THE HIBBIDY-DIBBIDY...

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, FEW OTHER THINGS. If you want to put an exclamation point on your time with your friends and loved ones, whether in an intimate setting or at a festive party, consider the unique addition of a flame to your libations of choice. When executed carefully and thoughtfully, a flaming drink is a great way to get everyone in the mood for a fun evening or to put a capstone on a decadent meal. Theres something thrilling, even mesmerizing, about the brilliant blue flame that arises from setting alcohol alight. Maybe the excitement comes from that naughty feeling of doing something dangerous; after all, your mother always told you not to play with fire. Well, the DANGER factor of this act cannot be underestimated (please, please, please read Fire Safety Tips on prior to making any of these drinks!).

But when done in a carefully controlled environment, a flaming drink can serve as a cool visual highlight of whatever event youre hosting. In this book youll find flaming drink recipes to satisfy a wide range of tastes, styles, occasions, and, of course, bartending prowess. In fact, Hot Shots could serve as a lifelong companion. As your tastes and needs grow beyond keggers on the rooftop and tropical drinks on the beach, simply continue advancing through the chapters, where youll find plenty of drinks to suit the new social demands of your life, whether thats charming a date, entertaining clients, or hosting an annual holiday party. The icons that come with each recipe will help you choose the right hot shot for the occasion; see to decode them. The first two chapters of recipes are mainly shooters that are relatively high proof and easy to construct.

With the majority of these drinks, the flame is merely part of the show youre putting on for your guests to prove your manhood (or womanhood), make a memorable party, get some hotties attention, or whatever other bombastic reason is driving you to light alcohol on fire. The remaining chapters feature more sophisticated drinks including hot coffees, grogs, glggs, old-school flaming punches, and a handful of exciting contributions from great bars and restaurants around the world. Making these drinks will have you flambing; flaming zests; igniting brandy-filled ladles; and toasting coffee beans, cloves, and spices in a brandy balloon. Some of the techniques presented in these chapters are quite advanced. We heartily recommend that you read the instructions carefully, practice before you attempt to serve more elaborate (i.e. dangerous) flaming drinks at a party, remember your fire safety essentials, and when in doubt, leave it to the professionals.

After all, theres a reason people go to bartending school! If you did not, sometimes its best to step aside and let the maestros do their thing. In fact, the art of the cocktail is making a comeback around the world. Its becoming easier and easier to find a local haunt that has a creative cocktail list and talented bartenders who have genuine respect for the cocktails rich history. (This includes the talented mixologists who have supplied the fabulous Out on the Town recipes scattered throughout this book.) Seek them out if you want to watch citrus oil ignited to create a flaming zest, a sugar cube flambed with brandy, or flaming alcohol poured back and forth between cups to create that showboat of the golden age of cocktails, the Blue Blazer. Youll enjoy the spectacle, and it may inspire you to make your own daring drinks!

L ike any savvy host or hostess, you wouldnt attempt a lobster Newburg or a chocolate souffl for the first time with a house full of guests milling around. If you choose to give your party or gathering the verve provided by flaming drinks, youll want to have the right tools on hand, appropriate drink choices for the occasion, all your safety considerations taken care of, and enough practice under your belt so you dont make a flaming idiot of yourself in front of your guests.

So, read this section carefully before making any of the recipes in this book. Well keep it short and sweet for you antsy folks!

The first thing you need to figure out is where youre going to make and light your drinks. Choose a clean, dry counter, bar, or table to use as your staging area. Keep it clear of rags, alcohol spills, and any tchotchkes that could accidentally catch on fire when you light your shots. Look above your head: Is there anything dangling (be it party decorations, curtains, or a lampshade) that could go up in flames? If so, remove it. Look at yourself: Are you wearing loose long sleeves or loose long hair that could catch fire? Bangles that could knock something over? Roller skates? Choose a new look for the night.

You should also remove any bottles of alcohol that are not part of the recipe you are preparing, and replace the caps or corks on alcohol you are using as soon as you finish pouring. Worst-case scenario: Someone knocks a bottle of booze over while youre lighting a match. You get the scary picture. Before you prepare flaming drinks, always dim the lights. Flames from alcohol are almost invisible when youre in a brightly lit room.

Once youve mastered the art of the hot shot, you may want to move on to some other stylish techniques and pick your glassware accordingly. Once youve mastered the art of the hot shot, you may want to move on to some other stylish techniques and pick your glassware accordingly.

See Bartending Tricks & Techniques () for descriptions of the techniques used in this book. Each recipe in this book includes an icon indicating the recommended glassware for that drink (see ). That isnt to say you cant serve a Flaming Hot Chocolate in a beer stein; just be prepared for your dates reaction to match your level of effort. Important: Only use heatproof glassware. If you add a blazing-hot gallon of punch to a bowl thats not heatproof, the bowl could crack into bits, and youll have a big old flaming inferno on your hands. Seriously.

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