Jack Daniel's Northampton Blend

JD is trying to cash in on the growing reputation of Northampton's cocktail culture by developing a Northampton Blend. It's rumoured that they are having trouble squeezing in the aromas of hops from Carlsberg, Galone's Rum and Raisin ice cream, Saul's of Spratton's black pudding, Brixworth Pate, and essence de Billing waterworks into a 700ml bottle - so they've rushed out a bottle of Jack Daniel's Sinatra Select instead.

We wont be stocking it at Haycock & Tailbar Associates because we think that we have some better options at a far more sensible price, but if you fancy a bottle you will find it online for around £150.

Also, we've selected Beluga Vodka as our new house-pour vodka. Albert is very, very excited - and with good reason. It's very good stuff.

Meat, Toni

With more and more people pre-ordering guest steaks when they book to eat supper - we've enlisted the help of our butcher, Toni, to expand the range. Kangaroo and Venison are proving popular, followed closely by wild boar, duck, and bison. Toni has now found us a reliable source of ostrich steaks, so happy, happy days.

Our favourites? All of them!

Martin has just bought a mincing machine and we're adding mini Marrakesh Meat Balls to our starter/cocktail nibbles list. Leading the charge so far are Camel balls, Alpaca balls, and Kangaroo balls.

As an aside, we're moving to 7.30pm opening on Friday and Saturday, we're working on a cigar-smoked old fashioned, and have responded to our mate Alex Proudfoot's (from world renowned cocktail bar Raouls in Oxford) suggestion to play with cold-infusion...

Finally - our buddies Mark and Graham at Wine Connection next door have got their pre-Christmas selection of port in this week. As 2011 has been declared a vintage there's no better time to snap up a fantastic drop of Krohn for under £30.

That will do for now - happy imbibing to you all.

Internet Prawn

Shell-on, shell-off. Which is best?

We took to the internet to find out - and found more than we bargained for.

The moral of the story is that when looking to try some of the better things in life, don't rely on the internet to tell you what to do. Instead, get out there, ring some bells, knock on some doors, meet some people - and try some new stuff. Why not be the person that knows from experience instead of the one who just asked Google??

Hope to make your acquaintance real soon...

Spiritual Spirits...and Nigella

Sam has just got back from an extensive trip/ pilgrimage to source some unusual spirits to further strengthen our line-up.

He's like a small boy in a sweet shop - but no ordinary sweet shop. This is the sweet shop that Willy Wonka built, stocked with the best things that he'd ever made, forgot to tell Charlie Bucket about, and was then left untouched for the next 60 years - before being discovered by Nigella Lawson while out looking for a secretive and illusive cocktail and supper lounge in Northampton.

Enough with the Willy Wonka analogy - you've probably already twigged that Sam has made some great finds...and we get to try them later!

How did Nigella find her way into this little story? Well, that's something I think that I should keep to myself....

Puddings..

This week we have been perfecting Baked Alaska for one. Looks pretty good - tastes bloody lovely.

It should be hitting the menu real soon.. along with:

Our home made Ginger and Lemon Posset Cheesecake.

It's fun to do something that's not a cocktail - so next week maybe we'll turn our attention to solving the national debt!

Action!

We've had a very nice surprise. The BBC 2 Food and Drink programme have been in touch to say that they've heard about us and would like to film at Haycock this Friday.
Can't say too much, other than it's all about molecular similarities - and how that means that some unusual combinations go well. We always knew that - but the BBC are getting a scientist in to prove it. The ladies hope this would be Prof Brian Cox. It isn't....

I'm back!

Having spent a few weeks away researching alcohol in the USA I've returned to my happy spot behind the Haycock Bar. I'd like to say I've been inspired by drinks I've sampled - but the truth is I was a bit disappointed. Maybe I just went to the wrong places! $2 Margaritas in Vegas were not the highpoint of our imbibing travels.

The best bit was a bar in Mammoth Lakes that featured 400 different tequilas - and also, apparently, sold some other stuff too.

Looks like I made it back just in time too - next week we have a team tasting of Beluga Vodka, which is making Albert very happy...If it goes well we'll it will be available to customers very soon...