Like the universe, Idaho only seems to be expanding. Oregon and Washington get all the attention, but Idaho is the Little Engine of the Pacific Northwest. State motto: “Let It Be Perpetual.” (I think “Let It Be Potato” was already taken.)
Idaho is obviously famous for its potatoes, but it’s also one of the very best places to grow hops. My hometown in particular is known for smelling like onions. It even has its own breed of onion—the Fruitland Super Sweet. My first cocktail was an Appletini on my 21st birthday.
—Sara Lynch, bar manager, Red Feather Lounge, Diablo and Sons Saloon, and Bittercreek Alehouse (Boise)
Idaho is derived from a Native American word meaning “land of many waters,” which would explain all those trout we hear about when dining out in restaurants, but it’s no secret that the potato runs deep in the soil of the state, as Idaho spuds account for one-third of America’s potatoes.
Idaho has a surprising number of Basque inhabitants who settled here decades ago, forming the second-largest population of Basque residents outside of Spain. Apparently, Idaho was leading the pack for sheep herding in the early twentieth century, and so Basques found work in and around Boise in the sheep herding game, which led to them settling in the state. The 600 block of Boise’s Historical District is the Basque Block, and many locals convene at the culture center and Bar Gernika for olives, meats, cheeses, Rioja wine, and the unmistakable, unofficial cocktail of Idaho: the Kalimotxo (“call-ee-moach-oh”), or, as we Americans like to simply say, “Red wine and Coke.” In the United States, it is often served with a lemon, and since we are not a society in which looks are important, we drink our cocktails with our eyes wide open.
The Bardenay distillery makes vodka, gin, rum, ginger rum, and every flavored liqueur under the sun. There’s a restaurant connected to the downtown Boise distillery with a monthly menu offering more than sixty cocktails, an impressive feat and not often accomplished by craft distilleries.
Boise’s cocktail scene has been on the upswing over the past few years, with the Modern Hotel and Bar being one of the pioneers, along with Diablo and Sons and the Red Feather Lounge, which served me one of my favorite cocktails while traveling through Idaho—my memory of the Long Goodbye, a spirit-forward cocktail made with Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Cognac, Punt e Mes, and Cherry Heering, brings a smile to my face. Red Feather wields a very creative menu layout, highlighting the philosophy behind its bar program, the bar friends (aka local purveyors) who help make the menu a little more special, and the bartenders at the Red Feather, each with a unique little inside joke bio (e.g., “Sharktanksy—better late than never”). I asked the guy at the coffee shop if the locally made BuckSnort ginger beer was legit, and his response: “Oh yeah, brother, oh yeah. She is legit. She’s a real one, boy.” That collection of words alone made me go crack open a can and sip the magic. Was I the happiest ever? No. But I was sipping a real one.
BAR SNACK
In colonial times, the bar was not what we commonly view today as a counter where we sit and sip the time away. The colonial tavern had “cage bars,” which were small rooms located in the corners of main rooms. In places like Colorado, Nevada, and Idaho, the tavern-keeper would enter the cage bar from his private quarters and raise a counter into place, which signaled he was ready to serve drinks. Essentially, it was a protective measure to ensure that the valuable ceramic punch bowls would not be damaged by a bunch of unscrupulous hooligans. That’s why Mom and Dad are not allowed to have nice things.
Distilled five times from 100 percent Idaho potatoes and filtered with Rocky Mountain spring water, 44 North proudly represents the premium Idaho vodka society. An interesting side note is that it’s bottled at 70 proof, which you don’t often see in a vodka. Though it’s a smooth sipper, the real hero here is the slight hint of huckleberry, which is a cousin to the blueberry. Native to the Pacific Northwest (and the state fruit of Idaho), huckleberries thrive in elevated mountain ranges with more acidic soil, and though they are small, they retain a unique spread of tart to sweet characteristics. If you are serving this at a party, to paraphrase Doc Holliday in Tombstone, I will totally be your huckleberry. Which means your friend. Or it means you’re Tom Sawyer. And I’m Huck Finn. Either way, you win.
For me, the most American cocktail is the Old Fashioned. For many bars and homes, it’s a personal love story about their favorite mid-shelf American whiskey. How it’s made is a reflection of era and the part of the country you’re in. There’s a fierce ideology to its variables. It’s the pizza of cocktails.
—Sara Lynch, bar manager, Red Feather Lounge, Diablo & Sons Saloon, and Bittercreek Alehouse (Boise)
This bar does have an air of Deadwood about it due to the name, the location, and the fact that it’s been around since 1907—the weathered interior and hardwood floors are as seasoned as any ole prospector you’ll find out west. Part saloon, part restaurant, and part boutique historic hotel, the White Horse wears its vintage memorabilia in plain sight, as evidenced by the iron prison bars that separate the hotel and restaurant from the old Spirit Lake jail. And yes, it’s been known to be haunted: Some people have affectionately nicknamed one of the ghosts “Big Girl,” and she apparently loves room 2 in the hotel, though of course she likes to spread the haunt around, as people have confirmed reports of slamming phantom doors, echoes deep through the hallways, footsteps from unknown areas, and dishes falling and breaking without anyone nearby. While you’re braving the ghost, try some of that famous tomato-basil soup, which may be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the thickness of the house Bloody Marys.
Neurolux was the first bar I went to when arriving in Boise. Great jukebox, live music, stiff drinks, and many games of pool, which comes in handy after a long shift. But one of my favorite American experiences surrounding drinking tradition was when I shotgun beer playing golf at night.
—Remi Courcenet, bar manager, The Modern Hotel (Boise)
Walking into Pengilly’s is akin to taking a trip back in time. The décor alone—paintings of deer, fair maidens, and waterfalls; stuffed bison; a Stroh’s Beer light over the cardinal-felt pool table; and the 120-year-old Brunswick bar—will keep you distracted enough to wonder how many stories the space could tell. No one’s ever in a hurry at Pengilly’s, and that’s the point: Take your time, appreciate where you are, where you have been, and don’t get too anxious about where you’re going. But the late-afternoon regulars will keep you coming back, and perhaps you will become one yourself.
Press & Pony’s staff take a great amount of time in preparing the ingredients for their curated cocktail menu, but they also know it’s important not to take themselves too seriously. I applaud this to no end. Fresh-pressed juices, homemade cola, and various tinctures are important, but putting a cocktail on the menu called Denim Blazer (High West bourbon, coffee syrup, Angostura bitters, and a flamed orange peel) obtains that necessary balance. They pay homage to Tom Cruise in Cocktail with his photo, enlarged and framed, above the bar, and the night I attended, the bartender dipped his fingers in a glass of 151-proof rum, lit a match, then blew a fireball when no one was paying attention. There’s also an old-school arcade bar underneath the ground floor. Sorcery!
Everyone in Boise has their own preference for measuring the Kalimotxo ingredients, but there is one similarity: you will have the best hangover of your life the next day.
—Boise resident seated next to me at Press & Pony
Diablo & Sons is a relatively new spot in downtown Boise, and has one of the most smile-inducing cocktail menus I came across during all of my research for this book. It’s clever, playful, and full of content. I particularly like Sara’s beginning recommendation, which is to swirl a little peaty, smoky Scotch in the Martini glass before making this beauty.
Peaty Scotch
(I use Lagavulin)
2 ounces Woodford Reserve rye
½ ounce Ancho Reyes liqueur
¼ ounce Cynar amaro
2 dashes spicy chocolate bitters (recipe follows) (or use Bittermens Xocolatl Mole or Bittercube Corazón)
Garnish: a high-quality cherry such as Luxardo or amarena
Swirl a little bit of Scotch in a chilled Martini glass and dump it out (or drink it).
In a mixing glass, combine all the ingredients, add ice, and stir gently for about 10 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass and serve up, garnished with the cherry.
Every American bar needs bartenders that are passionate about sharing stories and flavors, and a few particular spirits that each bartender has a personal connection to, such as American style gin, which is only getting more popular; each only getting more popular; each one has such unique flavors that you can play off of, and that’s always exciting.
—Sara Lynch, bar manager, Red Feather Lounge, Diablo and Sons Saloon, and Bittercreek Alehouse (Boise)
Spicy Chocolate Bitters
Makes about 5 ounces
One 5-ounce (148 ml) bottle
chocolate bitters (Diablo & Sons uses Scrappy’s)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
In a small bowl, combine the bitters with the red pepper flakes. Let infuse for about 30 minutes. Strain and rebottle; the bitters will keep for up to 6 months.
Frau Holle is a character in a famous Grimm Brothers German fairy tale from 1812, who apparently appears as a toothless hag, scaring children and adults to this day. In Scandinavia, however, Frau Holle is a feminine spirit, honored as the sacred embodiment of earth and home, and is often associated with snowfall, making this an optimal name for a welcome winter sipper to keep the bones warm. Ron Zacapa is a feel-good, smoky twenty-three-year-old rum aged in solera casks, with chocolate and vanilla notes.
1½ ounces Zacapa 23 rum
¾ ounce Dolin dry vermouth
¾ ounce Cynar amaro
¼ ounce Smith & Cross Jamaican rum
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprig
Stir the ingredients with ice until chilled; strain over fresh ice in a chilled rocks glass and garnish with the rosemary.
BAR SNACK
If you’re wondering the person you’re talking to is from Idaho or not, try getting them to say Boise. Longtime residents and natives tend to pronounce the word “boy-see” and everyone else generally opts for “boy-zee.” See?