Must Have This: Happy Hour

Friday last, we were taken, as is fairly frequently the case, out for beverages. It had been quite a week, what with a light snow and rolling blackouts doting the Texas countryside. The days had been long, the nights had been cold, and we were absolutely ready for a drink. The time had come for Happy Hour.

Happy Hour, by it's very own self, deserves a Must Have This post. What's not to love? The work day is over (at last), the bright young things (and some a little less than young, but still bright) are out and about, the sky is lovely (that purple!) and the bartender has just set down an exquisite cocktail in front of us (and it's about time). And of course, what make this particular time so particularly happy is that it's done for markedly less coin than if one had engaged in the same scenario on a Saturday, or even later in the same evening perhaps.

So to downtown we were whisked, ready to enjoy a bite and a beverage (or two or five), parking be damned. Having moved to Austin only 5 months ago, there are still a plethora of restaurants we have not yet been to, although we are making a concerted effort to remedy this situation. (read about Trace, a restaurant we are terribly excited to try as told by the lovely Austin Eavesdropper)

Our destination was Malaga, the wine and tapas bar. (We find it distressing that we do not have pictures of our own to offer of the trip- our device woes are ongoing, but hopefully they will be remedied in the near future. The picture below is from their website) The idea of tapas is cosmopolitan and playful and a touch seductive, we think- eating from the same plate, the give and take of sharing, and also wine (of course). Malaga did not disappoint in fulfilling our expectations.



The space is quite big, but feels surprisingly intimate once a majority of the tables are full. The colors are rich and exotic and warm- evoking images of Morocco and spice merchants. We were surprised by the number of waitstaff, as well as their fluidity- while one specific waitress always took the order, plates were delivered by many different persons, and more than one stopped by the table to assure our comfort and enjoyment. In any event, we felt well taken care of, which is exactly our preference.

The stars of Happy Hour -aside your host- are the drink specials. Malaga has quite an array of them- and there's something for every taste. A wide variety of specialty cocktails are available for $5, as well as varying beers for varying discounts. We, however, drank wine- select glasses are quite a find at $4.50. The most seductive offering is the pairing of a glass of wine and a tapas plate for $8. The tapas available are hardly your average happy hour bar fare- not a single tapas on the list is fried, and everything we tried was incredibly delicious (the pincho moruno (pork bites) and albondigas en tomate (meatballs in tomato sauce) were our favorites). Our one complaint? Happy hour is only from 5 to 7PM, so we encourage you to make the most of it.

Malaga is located at 440 W 2nd St in Austin.

Must Have This: Cocktail

As a general rule, we do not consume rum with much frequency. Very early in our young life, we had a number of unfortunate encounters with a particular coconut-flavored variety of the liquor (mixed with a highly caffeinated red beverage, anticipating recent alcohol/caffeine combinations by at least half a decade- oh, the pangs of youth) and as a result, have enjoyed but a smattering of pina coladas in the subsequent years.

So it was with a trepiditious heart that, last Sunday, we accepted a Rum Runner at a party we happened to be co-hosting. (Our infinitely charming co-host had concocted some Cuban porcine magic he informed us was Lechon Asado, salsa emanated from the stereo, and a selection of our favorite persons were in attendance- it was, in short, the makings of a smashing afternoon) We were, however, happily surprised with the delicious and terribly potent beverage placed in our hands.

A Rum Runner, we are told, is made with silver and gold (aged, not spiced) rums, banana and blackberry liqueurs and pineapple and orange juices. The variation we enjoyed was only altered by using black-raspberry liqueur instead of blackberry liqueur (we did make a concerted effort to find blackberry liqueur- and we did- but it was significantly more expensive than we cared to pay for a flavor we planned to mix with three other alcohols), and let us tell you, it was fabulous. Sweet and very strong, the runner was a big hit at the party, and each of us enjoyed five? six? We find the numbers begin to blur once we reached the fifth refill.



We find this recipe to be a good one. We strongly encourage you drink one, or two, but if you do enjoy the rum runner, please employ a driver for the evening.

Post Script: We also found the glasses from which we sipped the runner to be sassy, mischievous and, in a word, a hoot. They are available from Fish & Eddy's here.

Must Have This: Liquor

Drinking is definitely one of our favorite activities. As we have stated before we attempt to engage in drinking as often as we can, in as many varied places as we can, with as many different sorts of drinks as we can. (We encourage you reserve your judgement, and if you must, to err on the side of kindness- to call us an 'alcoholic' would be unspeakably rude; to call us a 'lush' would, we think, be a compliment)

We would say, however, that we are more frequently than not drawn to beverages containing one of a select few ingredients- all of which could (and, we are pleased to think upon, will) receive the attention of Must Have This. These ingredients vary wildly in proof and flavor, from delicate and floral to sharp and extremely potent. Chief on the list is the liquor by the name of gin, an essential spirit in a well-stocked bar (especially the ones we tend to frequent) and the variety named Hendrick's gin, in particular, we find to be the gin of our choice.

Gin (from the Dutch jenever) is a clear spirit that is flavored with a number of botanicals (herbs and berries and such). The most notable flavor in gin is the juniper berry (and here is where jenever comes in) giving the alcohol it's sharp, some would say 'piney,' taste.

There is an ever-increasing assortment of gins on the market, several of which we find very satisfactory. The reason Hendrick's is a Must Have, however, is that, aside from the juniper (common to all gins), Hendrick's has a remarkable cucumber note that is quite unlike any other variety of the spirit. Still with a sharp edge, the cucumber lends a softness that allows the liquor to be more than just a one-dimensional flavor.

Because of the uniqueness of it's flavor, we do not recommend attempting to make a martini with Hendrick's. It is served best with soda or tonic, garnished with cucumber. If you were to muddle a cucumber up in the bottom of your glass before pouring the liquor and mixer in OR throw a dash of Creme de Violette in your drink, so much the better. In any event, do not waste the deliciousness of this gin on a drink that will be overpowered by what you mix it with.

Hendrick's is available at most fine liquor stores. We've had a bit of trouble finding it in smaller, less urban markets, but we encourage you to make the search.

Post Script: Hendrick's marketing is delightfully odd and playful. Go here to experience the Curiositorium.

Must Have This: Cocktail

We should confess that, when all is said and done, we must be counted amongst the drinkers of history. We have never shied away from any alcohol, weak or strong, sticky sweet or tragically bitter. Give us your booze, your wine, your exotic spirits yearning to be drunk.

It must come then as no surprise to find that we search out those particular beverages that are, shall we say, Of Note. Beverages Of Note are usually not easy to come-by -either by way of rare and wonderful ingredients, or rare and wonderful bartenders who develop them- nor do they happen with frequency (in our years of conspicuous alcoholic consumption, we can think of but a handful). Needless to say, when one does happen upon our palate, it is a treat and we find it worth touting.

We were delighted to indulge in such a beverage on a recent trip to Houston, that most vibrant and slept-on of Texas cities. If you have never been, or only through one of the airports: we encourage you not to believe the hype. Houston is a fantastic city with a dynamic and incredibly multicultural population, a thrilling food and drink culture, and a climate that, while disagreeable for 3 months in the summer, is sublimely balmy the rest of the year. If you haven't been, we simply insist on a visit.

During that particular jaunt, we found ourselves (as so often is the case) at The Anvil "bar & refuge" as they claim themselves, and we find said claim to be substantiated. Easily a Must Have This topic all of it's own, The Anvil has been a favorite of ours for some time now, with an impressive list of ever-changing beers on tap and a truly staggering selection of liquors and liqueurs. We will save the story (and accolades) about the bar itself for another time, and truly, it is a story and does deserve ever accolade it has received, and concentrate on the particular beverage we found irresistible most recently: the Maharaja Buck.

We find the name itself to be exciting. Exotic and powerful, the Maharaja Buck sounds like a variety of Indian wildlife we would very much want to see and very much not want to vex. Similarly, the drink is spicy, warm, and strong. Cardamom, tamarind, turmeric and ginger flavors are blended to create an energetic cocktail that we would imagine to be as satisfying on a hot summer afternoon as we found it on a rare cool winter evening. Served in a Collins glass (with cubed ice, something else we absolutely love about the Anvil and other craft cocktail bars) and garnished with a lime, the drink presents a striking, mysterious silhouette. (We attempted to take a picture, but the lighting was uncooperative). Make your trip and order one soon, because (yet another reason to love this particular establishment) the menu changes semi-regularly, and after waiting too long, you might find that the exotic Maharaja Buck has eluded you.

The Anvil is located at 1424 Westheimer Rd in Houston, Texas.