Basil is not just for cooking in Italian food. It is wonderful when used just like mint in a mojito or mint julep and adds a depth of green, earthy aroma and flavor to a drink like the Monstre Verte.

The Denny Triangle is a pre-gentrified area in Seattle near the Space Needle. It is dirty and funky but in it you can find fantasticly delicious hidden pleasures. Thus, this little enclave was the inspiration for the Denny Triangle Cocktail; it is a bit funky but absolutely delicious!

Everything is better with bubbles. Classic cocktails like the Negroni can be lifted into the stratosphere with a bit of carbonation. Devices like the Perlini System and the new iSi Twist ‘n Sparkle (seen here in use by Marcel Vigneron on Hanging with Harris) make carbonated cocktails and other beverages simple. Whether you are a pro behind the bar or just want to impress your friends at home, adding bubbles is a fun and unique way to add texture and flavor to old favorites.

Herbs can provide an amazing back drop to a cocktail. The Rubicon makes great use of rosemary and the herbal liqueur chartreuse. Both are a perfect compliment to gin and create a very refreshing libation. Oh, and don’t forget your lighter; this one needs a bit of a flambé!

The Old Fashioned Cocktail is simple yet multidimensional. Its few ingredients combine to create what some consider the perfect cocktail. You can make old fashioned cocktails with any spirit; rum and tequila both make a wonderful old fashioned. But why not try multiple spirits and multiple bitters for that matter? The Cubed Old Fashioned could just take you to the fourth dimension!

The Tom Collins is probably the most recognizable highball style cocktail. Another classic highball is the El Diablo. The Black Donald is essentially an El Diablo using Scotch in place of Tequila and Drambuie in place of Creme de Cassis. Grab your nearest bottle of single malt and give it a go!

Bitters heavy cocktails are catching on across the country. Some include full ounces of bitters like Angostura making for intensely aromatic experiences. The Zim Zala Bim is no exception with one quarter ounce of Regan’s Orange Bitters and delicious reposado tequila.

In this second episode on how to layer a cocktail, Jamie demonstrates the Bitter Bike. With a heavy amount of Angostura Bitters, this drink is an unusually delicious way to end the evening.

Layering a cocktail is really very simple. Once you have ascertained the specific gravity of each spirit, just begin with the heaviest spirit on the bottom and layer the rest of the ingredients in order from heaviest to lightest on top of each other. A good tip to remember is to pour each ingredient slowly over you bar spoon as it rests against the glass. That way they do not break through the previous layer. It also helps to chill or freeze each liqueur before use.

Start your day right with the delightfully refreshing Breakfast Collins. Be sure to leave all the nasty bits behind by using a proper double straining technique.