Question: 
Is it dangerous to eat the coffee bean (well at least we think it was a coffee bean) in the bottom of a snifter of zam-boo-ka? -Proud Wife of Bean Eater

Thanks for your question Mrs. Eater. Have you or any of my readers out there ever wondered why your parties are dull? Why is it that when you meet some place to warm up for tonight's festivities, you always end up bored before it's time to leave? There can only be one reason. Too little FIRE at your parties. To cure this lack of burning one could either burn down your house/apartment every time you have a party (not so good) or drink Sambuca (definitively better). For my readers out there that don't know, Sambuca is an Anise flavored liqueur normally served as an after dinner drink. 

There are 3 ways to drink Sambuca:
1. The boring way: Dilute it with water. Makes a pleasant long drink (or so they tell me).

2. The traditional way: You pop two coffee beans in your mouth, chew them, set the shot on fire, put it out and drink it. This is the way described on the bottle, and supposedly the "right" way.

or 3. The cool way: You take the Sambuca into your mouth, but don't swallow. Wipe your lips so that none of the Sambuca is on your lips. Tilt your head back, and open you mouth, and have your friend light a match, a light the Sambuca in your mouth. Wait until you can feel it burning, (it's not as dangerous as it sounds) and then close you mouth. Shake it around and then swallow. This is of course the way my friends and I do it, and it always attracts peoples attention. Try it out at your local, dimly lit pub, impress you friends at the party and have fun. The good thing about Sambuca is that it combines three good things into one. You get drunk, have fun and get to set things on fire. Cool!

In direct answer to your question about eating the coffee bean... I would go to the emergency room right away!!!

Bar Terms

Many people come up to me on the street and ask me general questions about their home bar. This month, I am including some general terms used in bartending, and a little advice that I have found to be very helpful...

Mixing: When using a cocktail shaker there is one golden rule to remember. Always put the ice in the shaker first, and the liquor last. This is to ensure that all ingredients are properly chilled by the ice when they are poured over the ice, and by adding the liquor last you reduce the chance of dilution.

Stirring: A drink that is stirred instead of shaken will retain its clarity and be free of ice chips. Drinks based on clear liquors, like a Martini, should always be stirred and not shaken (don't listen to James Bond when he order his Martini "shaken, not stirred"). When stirring a cocktail you should stir it enough to mix the ingredients, but not stir it too much. If you stir too much the ice will begin to dilute the liquor. A general rule is that 10-15 stirs will be sufficient for proper mixing. A drink containing a carbonated beverage should be stirred gently and briefly to retain the sparkle.

Shaking: Instead of stirring, you can shake the drink. This will mix the ingredients more than stirring, but will also result in a less clear drink. Drinks that contain ingredients that are hard to mix, such as cream, fruit juices and eggs, should be shaken vigorously to ensure that the ingredients has been well mixed.

Blending: Use an electric blender to mix fresh fruit, liquor, juices and ice instead of using a shaker. Not too popular everywhere, but perfect for making frozen cocktails or to blend ingredients that are otherwise impossible to mix.

Floating: The purpose of floating is to keep each ingredients in the drink in separate layers that do not mix with the others. This will create a drink with separate layers, and this is why floating often is referred to as layering. The easiest way to float one liquor on top of another is to use a demitasse spoon, holding it over or in the glass and slowly trickle the ingredient over the back of the spoon.

Muddling: Muddling is a simple mashing technique for grinding herbs, such as mint, smooth in the bottom of a glass. You can use a wooden muddler that you buy in a bar supply store or buy a bar spoon with a muddler on the end. It crushes the herbs, much as the back of a soup spoon might, without scaring the glass.

Frosting: To frost a glass, first dip it in water and then put it in the freezer for half an hour or so. Also note that metal and silver mugs and cups will frost better than glasses.