Bar Chat - Dundee Dell
The Dundee Dell, a true Omaha institution, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. I sat down recently with Monique Huston, general manager of The Dell, for a peek behind the curtain of this legendary pub.
Describe the restaurant. What is its history?
We’ve been around since 1934. Pat (Gobel) is just the 4th owner of The Dell in the 75 years it’s been around. We’ve basically done a lot of the same things. We’ve done the same Fish & Chips. The recipe hasn’t changed. The batter is the thing that people always ask us for the recipe for, and that’s the thing we’re not going to let go. We always use North Atlantic Cod. That’s what we’ve always done. We’re the only restaurant in the United States that continues to use North Atlantic Cod because we signed a contract two years ago for ten years out, but other than that it’s all been fished out. So most other places that do fish and chips use Haddock or other white fish, but that’s just not what we do. We will always find a way to continue to do what we’ve been doing.
The Dell has the largest single-malt Scotch whisky list of any bar in the world. How did the Scotch thing get started?
All I know is that when I started here in 2000, we had 60 scotches and now we have 720 scotches. Now, that’s my baby. That’s what I took on. Pat loves it and he’s very supportive of everything that I do. My mother is an antique dealer, so if I find something unique, if I know something is rare, if I know that something is really special, I want it. I want to have it and I want to be able to expose other people to it. That’s what happened with the scotch collection. It’s weird. We’re better known nationally than we are locally as the best whisky bar in the country. I can go to Chicago and meet people who know The Dell better than someone in west Omaha knows The Dell. We’ve had people make pilgrimages from Ireland just to try a particular Scotch that we have. Many people in Omaha don’t really know or they just don’t believe it.
What is your philosophy in terms of the overall bar & cocktail profile?
If there’s a new vodka or if there’s a new flavored rum that comes out, we’ll take one, try it out on some people, have it in a tasting and figure out if we like it and want to continue to stock it. But we’re not going to serve some random kind of schnapps or these Pucker things or blah, blah, blah. We’re not doing any of that. We’re not going to compromise quality to make a sale. We don’t serve malt beverages either. Yeah, Smirnoff Ice might taste great, but we’ve got trained bartenders here with years of experience behind them. Why don’t you let them do their job? Tell them what you want something to taste like and they’ll create something based on what you like. Fresh juices and good ingredients and some things you’ve never heard of. You can go anywhere and get a Bud Light, but you’re going to come here and get something that’s got some thought behind it, some energy behind it and some passion behind it. We like to try to be a center for people to come and be educated on good cocktails, old-school cocktails. People call me all the time and they’re like, “What’s in a Gimlet?” And I think, “Really?” We actually still serve those all the time. We have Manhattans and Sidecars go out across the bar all the time. I understand those things are having a bit of a renaissance, but Pat is very old-school. He remembers the time when a Martini was a Martini and had two ingredients; either vodka or gin and vermouth. That’s a Martini. A Cosmo is not a Martini just because it’s in a Martini glass. A lot of people just don’t get that.
How do you approach staffing?
Pat is wonderful at recognizing, maintaining and growing talented people throughout the staff. We have no turnover. We’ve had no kitchen turnover in the last 10 months. Not a dishwasher, no one. We’ve had no wait staff turnover in over a year. You come in here and you know the wait staff every time you come in. Pat’s very generous, but what he really does is that he allows input from everyone. If a chef has a great idea for a tasting, done! We’re going to make it happen. If a dishwasher has a great idea for a new appetizer, done! He’s willing to sit down and listen to everyone. Give them a lot of space. Give them wings. I always say it’s definitely a sign of how happy people are where they work when they’re all sitting at the bar after they get off, just hanging out. That’s very common. To see people come in on their off days and eat and drink and bring their families in, and long after they’ve left here, to come in and still feel very welcome.
Describe the response you’ve received from customers.
In this economy, people are going to stay at home because they don’t want to spend a bunch of money. When you come out, come out and drink a good cocktail, come out to a tasting and try 8 different rums. Find out what you really like and really get excited about it. We’re seeing a lot of that here. We’ve been really blessed by an amazing amount of support. Local people, people who want to support neighborhoods, people who want to support independent businesses. Here in Omaha we’re very fortunate that people consciously will do that. We live in a city where a Chili’s and a Macaroni Grill closed. That just doesn’t happen. And independents are thriving. Everywhere I go, I just feel so grateful. I don’t like to go to another town and have somebody say to me that their neighborhood bar is an Applebee’s. Really? Because that’s how they bill themselves. They told you that. Did you decide that? Do you know these people? You can’t just call yourself that. You have to develop that kind of reputation, and it’s really worked for us. We’re very blessed.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Libation Conversation – Aviation Cocktail
The Aviation Cocktail. The name possesses many of the qualities I love in a good cocktail moniker. It says everything and nothing at the same time. It provides intrigue and fuel for the imagination. It conjures images in the head of goggles, silk scarves and wing walking. It creates its own set of expectations that can’t be confirmed or refuted until one ventures out of one’s comfort zone and into the vast unknown. Looking further into the cocktail itself, more mystery and intrigue awaits. What is the actual recipe? What are its origins? What the heck is Crème Yvette?
While it may not be a staple on cocktail menus locally, The Aviation has been used very effectively in other parts of the country to lure cocktail consumers into the realm of “classic cocktails”, those cocktails whose origins can be traced to a period from the first appearance of the “cocktail” in 1806 to the beginning of Prohibition in 1920. The Aviation qualifies, but it is a relatively late entrant into the classic cocktail field, having first seen the light of day in Hugo Ensslin’s 1916 publication, Recipes For Mixed Drinks.
As is typical with classic cocktails, the original Aviation evolved into a number of differing Aviation recipes as well as other descendant cocktails including the Blue Moon. Ensslin’s original recipe called for Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Crème Yvette and lemon juice. As we’ve done in previous columns, let’s look at the elements of this wonderful cocktail, beginning as many worthwhile endeavors begin, with Gin.
GIN: Even a cursory look at the universe of classic cocktails reveals that Gin is found at the heart of a significant number of these revered old drinks. Its complexity and depth of character form the perfect backdrop for a wide array of complementary flavor additions. But Gin is hardly a homogenous category of spirits. Significant differences exist between one Gin and another, and an understanding of these differences (and of your tastes and preferences) is critical when deciding which Gin is going to grace your next classic cocktail adventure. All Gins are influenced to some degree by the Juniper berry, which is used to flavor the spirit and lends Gin its distinctive “pineyness”. Some Gins are relatively sweet with more pronounced citrus and subtler Juniper notes, while others are drier with a pronounced Juniper presence and hints of Coriander. Some Dutch-style Genevers (Gin’s earliest form) have an intriguing maltiness to them. Finding a Gin with a flavor profile that lines up with one’s personal tastes & preferences can be a time-consuming process, but in the end your enjoyment of Gin cocktails will be greatly enhanced. And it’s a lot more fun than determining your favorite brand of dental floss.
MARASCHINO LIQUEUR: If you’ve read previous Libation Conversation columns, you are probably at least familiar with Maraschino Liqueur, even if you have not had the pleasure of tasting it for yourself. If this is your first Libation Conversation, allow me to welcome you and to shed a little light on Maraschino Liqueur. This liqueur bears no resemblance to the neon goo that bar cherries float in. Invented by Girolamo Luxardo in 1821 and still produced today according to his original formula, Maraschino liqueur is distilled from Marasca cherries and aged in Ash vats. Maraschino liqueur possesses fascinating depth and a unique, delicate floral note. It is somewhat difficult to come by but well worth the search. It is also the critical ingredient in the original Corpse Reviver, which was also examined in a previous Conversation.
CRÈME YVETTE: This element of the original Aviation has the highest potential to confound. Crème Yvette was a proprietary version (produced by Charles Jacquin et Cie until being discontinued in the 1960s) of Crème de Violette. Crème de Violette is a liqueur whose flavor and color are derived from a maceration of violets in un-aged grape brandy. Crème de Violette is also somewhat difficult to find, but it too is well worth the search. Rumor has it that Jacquin may be reviving Crème Yvette liqueur, so stay tuned. It has been suggested that Marie Brizard Parfait d’Amour, yet another elusive-but-worthy-of-search liqueur, can be substituted for Crème de Violette. While this certainly violates no laws or international treaties with which I am familiar, the two products are not interchangeable from a flavor perspective.
LEMON JUICE: Use the real thing. Classic cocktails are no place for substitutes, especially when it comes to fruit juices. Cocktail mixes, lime juice cordials, and “juices” that hide out in plastic replicas of actual fruits are for the most part, loaded with artificial ingredients and sweeteners that can guide your cocktail to a dark and foreboding place. Perhaps even more offensive is the idea that through the use of cocktail mixes you, the eventual consumer of your cocktail creations, have been robbed of the ability to determine for yourself the balance between the sweet and acidic elements of your carefully crafted libation. Insufferable!
THE COCKTAIL: As was mentioned, there are a number of recipes out there for the Aviation Cocktail. While most seem to agree at least on the elements of Gin, Maraschino Liqueur and fresh lemon juice, the proportions of each are apparently of some dispute. The five cocktail recipe books I checked each had a slightly different recipe. In fact, only two of them even mention Crème de Violette. How could this critical ingredient become such an afterthought? It turns out that one of the most revered publications in the history of cocktails, The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), published a recipe for the Aviation that omitted the Crème de Violette. For many years, this was taken to be the original recipe, and it wasn’t until the original was discovered some years later that Crème de Violette was once again afforded its place in the cocktail. The fact that Crème de Violette is still difficult to find leads to its being regularly slighted in today’s Aviation recipes. Nevertheless, the enjoyment of a true Aviation is impossible without it. After all, the name Aviation itself refers to the sky-blue tint that Crème de Violette gives the drink.
THE RECIPE:
Aviation Cocktail (From DrinkBoy Robert Hess)
2 oz Gin
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1/4 oz Crème de Violette
Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker
Shake & Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Aviation Cocktail (The Original - From Hugo Ensslin’s Recipes For Mixed Drinks, 1916)
1/3 Lemon Juice
2/3 El Bart Gin
2 dashes Maraschino
2 dashes Creme de Violette
Shake well in a mixing glass with cracked ice, strain and serve
While it may not be a staple on cocktail menus locally, The Aviation has been used very effectively in other parts of the country to lure cocktail consumers into the realm of “classic cocktails”, those cocktails whose origins can be traced to a period from the first appearance of the “cocktail” in 1806 to the beginning of Prohibition in 1920. The Aviation qualifies, but it is a relatively late entrant into the classic cocktail field, having first seen the light of day in Hugo Ensslin’s 1916 publication, Recipes For Mixed Drinks.
As is typical with classic cocktails, the original Aviation evolved into a number of differing Aviation recipes as well as other descendant cocktails including the Blue Moon. Ensslin’s original recipe called for Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Crème Yvette and lemon juice. As we’ve done in previous columns, let’s look at the elements of this wonderful cocktail, beginning as many worthwhile endeavors begin, with Gin.
GIN: Even a cursory look at the universe of classic cocktails reveals that Gin is found at the heart of a significant number of these revered old drinks. Its complexity and depth of character form the perfect backdrop for a wide array of complementary flavor additions. But Gin is hardly a homogenous category of spirits. Significant differences exist between one Gin and another, and an understanding of these differences (and of your tastes and preferences) is critical when deciding which Gin is going to grace your next classic cocktail adventure. All Gins are influenced to some degree by the Juniper berry, which is used to flavor the spirit and lends Gin its distinctive “pineyness”. Some Gins are relatively sweet with more pronounced citrus and subtler Juniper notes, while others are drier with a pronounced Juniper presence and hints of Coriander. Some Dutch-style Genevers (Gin’s earliest form) have an intriguing maltiness to them. Finding a Gin with a flavor profile that lines up with one’s personal tastes & preferences can be a time-consuming process, but in the end your enjoyment of Gin cocktails will be greatly enhanced. And it’s a lot more fun than determining your favorite brand of dental floss.
MARASCHINO LIQUEUR: If you’ve read previous Libation Conversation columns, you are probably at least familiar with Maraschino Liqueur, even if you have not had the pleasure of tasting it for yourself. If this is your first Libation Conversation, allow me to welcome you and to shed a little light on Maraschino Liqueur. This liqueur bears no resemblance to the neon goo that bar cherries float in. Invented by Girolamo Luxardo in 1821 and still produced today according to his original formula, Maraschino liqueur is distilled from Marasca cherries and aged in Ash vats. Maraschino liqueur possesses fascinating depth and a unique, delicate floral note. It is somewhat difficult to come by but well worth the search. It is also the critical ingredient in the original Corpse Reviver, which was also examined in a previous Conversation.
CRÈME YVETTE: This element of the original Aviation has the highest potential to confound. Crème Yvette was a proprietary version (produced by Charles Jacquin et Cie until being discontinued in the 1960s) of Crème de Violette. Crème de Violette is a liqueur whose flavor and color are derived from a maceration of violets in un-aged grape brandy. Crème de Violette is also somewhat difficult to find, but it too is well worth the search. Rumor has it that Jacquin may be reviving Crème Yvette liqueur, so stay tuned. It has been suggested that Marie Brizard Parfait d’Amour, yet another elusive-but-worthy-of-search liqueur, can be substituted for Crème de Violette. While this certainly violates no laws or international treaties with which I am familiar, the two products are not interchangeable from a flavor perspective.
LEMON JUICE: Use the real thing. Classic cocktails are no place for substitutes, especially when it comes to fruit juices. Cocktail mixes, lime juice cordials, and “juices” that hide out in plastic replicas of actual fruits are for the most part, loaded with artificial ingredients and sweeteners that can guide your cocktail to a dark and foreboding place. Perhaps even more offensive is the idea that through the use of cocktail mixes you, the eventual consumer of your cocktail creations, have been robbed of the ability to determine for yourself the balance between the sweet and acidic elements of your carefully crafted libation. Insufferable!
THE COCKTAIL: As was mentioned, there are a number of recipes out there for the Aviation Cocktail. While most seem to agree at least on the elements of Gin, Maraschino Liqueur and fresh lemon juice, the proportions of each are apparently of some dispute. The five cocktail recipe books I checked each had a slightly different recipe. In fact, only two of them even mention Crème de Violette. How could this critical ingredient become such an afterthought? It turns out that one of the most revered publications in the history of cocktails, The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), published a recipe for the Aviation that omitted the Crème de Violette. For many years, this was taken to be the original recipe, and it wasn’t until the original was discovered some years later that Crème de Violette was once again afforded its place in the cocktail. The fact that Crème de Violette is still difficult to find leads to its being regularly slighted in today’s Aviation recipes. Nevertheless, the enjoyment of a true Aviation is impossible without it. After all, the name Aviation itself refers to the sky-blue tint that Crème de Violette gives the drink.
THE RECIPE:
Aviation Cocktail (From DrinkBoy Robert Hess)
2 oz Gin
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1/4 oz Crème de Violette
Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker
Shake & Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Aviation Cocktail (The Original - From Hugo Ensslin’s Recipes For Mixed Drinks, 1916)
1/3 Lemon Juice
2/3 El Bart Gin
2 dashes Maraschino
2 dashes Creme de Violette
Shake well in a mixing glass with cracked ice, strain and serve
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