Lush Life

Susan L. Schwartz
  • 4.5 (8)
  • FOOD
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY
Lush Life

Where can you learn to live life one cocktail at a time? Here on the Lush Life Podcast discover why an old-fashioned is the drink of choice, who is making their own bitters and how ice, or lack there of, is transforming the cocktails you drink. Hosted by your favorite drinking companion, Susan L. Schwartz, the Lush Life Podcast introduces you to the movers and shakers of the cocktail world.

  1. How to Drink At Archive & Myth with Laurie Howells, Head Bartender

    5D AGO

    How to Drink At Archive & Myth with Laurie Howells, Head Bartender

    How many cocktail competitions are you doing this year?  Our guest has challenged herself to do a number you won’t believe! It’s not as if she has nothing else to do, she is busy at one of the most exciting places in London. Laurie Howells might sound like a Brit, but she don’t let her fool you. She was born and lived in the USA until she was whisked to her new hometown of Bury St. Edmunds.  How did she find herself heading up Archive & Myth, one of London’s newest bars?  She will have to tell you that. Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more; just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual. Also If you love the show, we would so appreciate your support! You can get our advice on anything to do with home bartending, where to drink in every major city, special recipes, plus a Lush Life mug! Just head to alushlifemanual.substack.com and sign up! The cocktail of the week is the Archive & Myth Bee’s Knees: INGREDIENTS  40ml Gin (they use Renais Gin)10ml Everleaf Forest 5ml Tio Pepe Fino25ml Fresh Lemon Juice20ml Bay Honey Syrup METHOD First, make the bay honey syrup by bringing water to a boil and infusing bay leaves into it for 10 minutes to steep.  Filter them and then whisk together a 3:1 ratio of honey to bay water to make an incredibly tasty and herbaceous honey syrup.Shake all ingredients together with iceFine strain into a coupe glass.  Garnish with a lemon twist. You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients. Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/archive-and-myth-with-laurie-howells ----- Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual. Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more!  Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

    39 min
  2. How to Woodford Reserve with Elizabeth McCall, Master Distiller

    FEB 25

    How to Woodford Reserve with Elizabeth McCall, Master Distiller

    For someone who is passionate about horses and bourbon there is one position that would be a dream to have and our guest has got it!   When you think of horse races, there is only one: the Kentucky Derby.  When you think of cocktails at horse races, there is only one - the Mint Julep. And what bourbon do you find in that Kentucky Derby Mint Julep? Woodford Reserve.  As Vice President and Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Elizabeth McCall calls the shots when defining the quality sensory standard to which every batch of Woodford Reserve must comply. What does it take to become the third Master Distiller ever at Woodford and one of the youngest distillers in the United States? I will let her tell you! Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more; just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual. Also If you love the show, we would so appreciate your support! You can get our advice on anything to do with home bartending, where to drink in every major city, special recipes, plus a Lush Life mug! Just head to alushlifemanual.substack.com and sign up! The cocktail of the week is the Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned: INGREDIENTS  2 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon.5 oz demerara simple syrup3 dashes of Angostura bitters large ice cubeorange peel METHOD Pour Woodford Reserve Bourbon into your favorite glassAdd sugar syrup and bittersAdd iceStir for 10 secondsExpress orange oils & garnish with the orange peel You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients. Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/woodford-reserve-with-elizabeth-mccall ----- Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual. Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more!  Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

    45 min
  3. How to Drink at the Stockton Inn with Brian Miller

    FEB 11

    How to Drink at the Stockton Inn with Brian Miller

    Have you been to the small hotel with a wishing well and now a fabulous new bar helmed by today’s guest? I’m pretty certain that if Rogers and Hart had taken even one sip of any of the new cocktails, their famous song may have turned out very differently. If you are a Sinatra fan, you might be aware of his rendition of the song There’s a Small Hotel written in the 1930s by Rogers and Hart for the musical On Your Toes. This sweet ditty was inspired by Hart’s stay at the Stockton Inn in Stockton, New Jersey, a place also dear to my heart.  My family has had a house nearby for the past 30 years. When new folks had acquired the inn, we held our breath. Then I discovered Brian Miller was in charge of the bar, and I knew there was nothing to fear!   Brian is a veteran of the New York bar scene having worked in some of the most famous bars in the world like the Pegu Club and Death and Company. He has a special penchant for tropical cocktails, which culminated in the creation of Tiki Mondays with Miller - a Polynesian & pirate-themed pop-up bar. And his own bar, The Polynesian, which was nominated for Best New American Bar at Tales of the Cocktail and  recognized by Esquire Magazine as one of America’s Best Bars. So how did this self-described pirate find himself in that small hotel with the wishing well in the woods of New Jersey?  You’ll have to listen in to find out.  Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more; just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual. Also, if you love the show, we would so appreciate your support! You can get our advice on anything to do with home bartending, where to drink in every major city, special recipes, plus a Lush Life mug! Just head to alushlifemanual.substack.com and sign up! The cocktail of the week is the Jack Rose: INGREDIENTS  2 dashes orange bitters½ oz lime juice½ oz lemon juice½ oz grenadine¼ oz cane syrup¼ oz Jacoulot crème de framboise liqueur1 oz  Laird’s bonded apple brandy1 oz Domaine de Montreuil “Selection” calvados METHOD Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and add iceShake until chilledStrain into a coupe glass You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients. Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/stockton-inn-with-brian-miller ----- Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual. Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more!  Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and a href="https://www.instagram.com/alushlifemanual/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    57 min
  4. How to Drink Mount Gay Rum with Trudiann Branker

    JAN 28

    How to Drink Mount Gay Rum with Trudiann Branker

    Can you feel the heat on your face?  This episode we want to transport you right to the sunny island of Barbados. Anyone’s guess which rum we’ll be exploring?? If you haven’t guessed already, it’s Mount Gay, not only the oldest rum in Barbados, but the oldest rum in the world!!  I’m thrilled that Trudiann Branker, the trailblazing Master Blender, is joining us. Starting at the distillery in 2014 as Quality Assurance Manager, Trudiann rose to prominence with her unique ability to merge scientific expertise and creative intuition.  Under her guidance, Mount Gay has unveiled award-winning innovations like the Master Blender Collection and the Single Estate Series!   We met at the launch of the Single Estate Series 2, and I couldn’t wait to have her on the show! Single Estate is super special, and it’s great to have her explain how it all came to be Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more; just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual that's youtube.com/@lushlifemanual! Also If you love the show, we would so appreciate your support! You can get our advice on anything to do with home bartending, where to drink in every major city, special recipes, plus a Lush Life mug! Just head to alushlifemanual.substack.com and sign up! The cocktail of the week is the Cocohill: INGREDIENTS  60ml / 2oz Mount Gay XO Rum1 Coconut water ice cube METHOD Pour Coconut Water into a silicone mould 3-3.5cm high or regular ice cube moulds and freeze.Once frozen, place the coconut ice cube(s)  into an old fashioned glassAdd XO and serve You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients. Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/mount-gay-rum-with-trudiann-branker ----- Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual. Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more!  Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

    42 min
  5. How to Prioritise Inclusion with Equal Measures’ Vicky Ilankovan

    11/05/2024

    How to Prioritise Inclusion with Equal Measures’ Vicky Ilankovan

    We are exploring a very important issue and, even if you aren’t in the drinks industry, it’s something you need to address if you have a business - how are you prioritizing inclusion in your workplace? Vicky Ilankovan, the Executive Director of Equal Measures UK, is with me to help you answer that question. Equal Measures is the award-winning non-profit spearheading the delivery of intersectional inclusivity in the drinks & hospitality industries.  She has a proven track record of promoting companies, developing and restructuring systems, diversifying services, and building communities of engaged stakeholders. As her career spans everything from editorial, marketing, PR, and events, to global distribution, business development, project management, drinks consultancy, and spirits awards judging, she has a panoramic understanding of the hospitality and drinks industries, its networks, and operation. I am honored to have her on the program. Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more, just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual that's youtube.com/@lushlifemanual! Also If you love the show, we would so appreciate your support! You can get our advice on anything to do with home bartending, where to drink in every major city, special recipes, plus a Lush Life mug! Just head to alushlifemanual.substack.com and sign up! The cocktail of the week is the Bajan Divorce: INGREDIENTS  40ml Foursquare Nobiliary (or Doorly’s XO as this is hard to find now)10ml Corte Vetusto Ensamble II mezcal10ml Pensador Ensamble mezcal15ml Gonzalez Byass PX Nectar3 dashes Angostura bittersGarnish with an orange twist METHOD Combine all ingredients in a glass with ice and stir to mix and dilute (around 6 rotations).Garnish with a freshly cut orange peel, being sure to spritz the fresh orange oils around the glass.Sit back, and enjoy the rich flavours. You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients. Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/iequal-measures-with-vicky-ilankovan ----- Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual. Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more!  Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest New episodes every Tuesday,...

    44 min
  6. How to Drink SoGood Sake with Meryl Kennedy & Ken LaGrande

    10/22/2024

    How to Drink SoGood Sake with Meryl Kennedy & Ken LaGrande

    Most people know that sake is made with rice, but did you know that rice might be grown in California?  This is the 250th episode of Lush Life Podcast, every week I have been inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the guests who have been kind enough to join me and I am sure I will continue to be inspired by those who are yet to be on the program.  Thank you everyone for your support, especially Evo Terra and his team, that’s my producer, and thank you for listening.  Now, back to that 250th episode! I was shocked, too. I had just assumed the rice was all grown in Japan. That’s just one of the many things that Ken LaGrande revealed about sake over cocktails at the Connaught. In fact, those aforementioned cocktails had all been made using SoGood Sake. Why create a new sake and one whose pedigree is purely American?   Joining me today to explain everything is Ken himself and, one of the other co-founders of SoGood Sake, Meryl Kennedy.  Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more, just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual that's youtube.com/@lushlifemanual! The cocktail of the week is the Sake Sunset: INGREDIENTS  40 ml SoGood Sake20 ml Dark rum60 ml Solo Coldbrew 20 ml Miso Caramel (1:9 White Miso to Caramel)Garnish: Dark Chocolate METHOD Add all the ingredients to a shaker and add iceShake until well diluted and coldStrain into a rocks glass filled with iceGarnish with Grated Dark Chocolate  You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients. Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/sogood-sake-with-meryl-kennedy-and-ken-lagrande ----- Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual. Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more!  Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

    43 min
  7. How to Take Venice Cocktail Tours

    10/08/2024

    How to Take Venice Cocktail Tours

    Yes, we are back with the 9th - how is it possible -  season of Lush Life!  Where best to begin? Venice, of course!  How is it that there weren’t already Venice Cocktail Tours before now? Well, I don’t want to reveal the whole story in this intro, you can now enjoy two different cocktail tours in Venice! Let’s just say that great minds were thinking how best to introduce you to not only the role that Venice played in bringing you some of the greatest drinks ever, but also to how amazing the cocktail scene is. I happened to meet Monica Cesarato by chance during Venice Cocktail Week two years ago. Not only did Monica create the first cicchetti tours in Venice, but she is also the author of two books, food & travel blogger, podcaster, and producer.  Our Co-Founder, Romena Brugnerotto, leads all different types of tours throughout the city, like art, culture, and cicchetti, as well as being a sommelier! Together, they had a brilliant idea to create cocktail tours, just as I was also thinking the same.  Our worlds collided, and the rest is history, but there is so much more to it than that! The cocktail of the week is the Cinico: INGREDIENTS  30ml prosecco30ml cinico (Italian cinnamon liqueur)30ml soda waterGarnish: lime, mint and a cinnamon stick METHOD Add all ingredients to a rocks glass with iceStir gentlyGarnish with lime, mint, and a cinnamon stick You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients. Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/how-to-take-venice-cocktail-tours ----- Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual. Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more!  Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

    46 min
  8. How to be Philip Duff

    07/30/2024

    How to be Philip Duff

    Philip Duff,  a true icon in the industry, is on Lush Life. He is a renowned expert on everything drinks related and has a passion for the craft. Thank goodness our guest was not one of the Skerries-born citizens who kidnapped St. Patrick's goat and was cursed to bleat from then on, cus that would make for an awkward interview.  Today we have a true icon in the industry. Philip Duff is not only an internationally renowned expert on cocktails, spirits, and bars, but also a sought-after consultant, a dynamic educator, and a captivating speaker who has traveled the globe sharing his vast knowledge and passion for the craft. Plus he’s also the founder of Old Duff Genever and lucky for me my friend! We’re chatting about the past, the future and the  stuff that happened along the way. Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more; just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual that's youtube.com/@lushlifemanual! The cocktail of the week is the Holland House: INGREDIENTS  50ml Old Duff Genever20ml dry vermouth15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice7.5ml maraschino liqueurGarnish: lemon zest  METHOD Add all ingredients to a shaker with iceShake for 15 secondsFine strain into a martini or coupe glassGarnish with a lemon zest You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients. Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/philip-duff ----- Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual. Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more!  Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

    1h 3m
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Trailers

4.5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Where can you learn to live life one cocktail at a time? Here on the Lush Life Podcast discover why an old-fashioned is the drink of choice, who is making their own bitters and how ice, or lack there of, is transforming the cocktails you drink. Hosted by your favorite drinking companion, Susan L. Schwartz, the Lush Life Podcast introduces you to the movers and shakers of the cocktail world.

Information

  • Creator
    Susan L. Schwartz
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodes
    264
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 by Susan L. Schwartz. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Lush Life

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