Christmas. It takes some thinking about...

It's so easy to plan to do stuff - and never get around to it. 

We hope that you will make it in to see us at some point over the festive period, especially as we heard from a very reliable contact that you deserve some pamper time...

Booking a table for food, or just cocktails, isn't vital but is worth doing to avoid disappointment at peak times.

Don't forget that we're doing New Year's Eve Eve on the 30th. This is designed for people who can't get a baby sitter on NYE, who for people who will be working on the big night. And - yes - we will be doing the full midnight thing!

Space is also available for Christmas Eve and the real New Year's Eve too - but book soon, we're only little.

Have a happy time - whatever you get up to this Christmas!

Bob_bones, who are you?

Just imagine having had a week battling with overflowing boilers from the flats above flooding our toilets - only to then find that SOMEONE HAS PUT US ONTO TRIP ADVISOR!

We love our customers, we love it even more when they tell their friends about us - and we're often told that they decide only to tell some of their friends...

It's our own fault. We should never have allowed ourselves to bask in the glory of our customers having decided to keep our little secret to some close friends - instead of sharing us with the entire chuffin' world!

Never mind. There's nothing we can do about it. There's work to be done, so it's time to move on.

No hard feelings Bob - we still love you.

Snap Happy

In the news this week - we have had a photo shoot for Beluga vodka (which is an extremely palatable premium Russian vodka), we've been perfecting a sticky toffee pudding dessert, we've come up with a warm fruit salad that uses heated sweet chilli sauce instead of orange juice, and we are turning our heads to the festive season - and all that it brings....

In other news....our steaks are as delicious as ever! (although we would be interested in growing our selection of mains for veggies from one to..more than one. As we're all big meaties we need some suggestions. Remember to think outside the box - it's no fun if it's like everywhere else.)

Hallowe'en

Don't get us wrong - Hallowe'en is great fun. But there's a time and a place...

This week we will instead be getting all excited about Cognac. We have some good stuff, some very good stuff, and some Louis XIII - at just £120 a shot.

We might not be getting involved with Hallowe'en - but just walking past the Louis XIII scares the crap out of us - let alone all that shaking of cocktails that we do just inches away....

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...

Fame...

Fame?

Not me. Not Haycock, but the famous person that came in for a couple of our Chocolate and Cognac Old Fashioneds the other night.

Who was it? Well, despite me being brave enough to break ranks and share the odd photo, that little nugget is staying well and truly under my hat!

Of course, it was great to meet him - but he got exactly the same service as everyone else...

Lost - and found..

That link to the print page for the menu that I told you about yesterday is now working again. Try it and have a browse while you can!
Haycock Menu file.

Our menu/drinks list

I've just found a link to the menu via a back door on the website. It's supposed to be for the printers to access it - but take a look while it's still there:

Menu for print.

Here's one..

I managed to snap this one on the QT. Also had a sip of Sam's creation of a Black Grape Daiquiri using our home made grape and muscovado shrub which tasted awesome..

It was also really good to make some no alcohol drinks for a very nice pregnant lady. Clearly avoiding alcohol is the right thing to do, but sometimes a J2O or a lemonade and lime just wont cut it! This is where shrubs come into their own - bags of taste, and a spikey edge that replaces alcohol exceptionally well (although when you do add it to alcohol it's very special indeed).

Photo time - nearly!

Tonight is the night. I've managed to borrow a button hole cam from a bloke who works for a mystery shopper company. This means that we will finally be able to smuggle out some pics...

Things are starting to pick up nicely as the right people seem to be discovering our exclusive little bit of Northampton. We had a guy in the other night who watched his mates leave for a bar crawl, and then promptly phoned a couple of other mates to come into town and join him at our place. A stack of cocktails, zebra steaks and our rather tasty Cognac and chocolate old fashioned later - and they were off with no regrets about missing out on that bar crawl...

Keep an eye out for those pics...

Photos?

STILL haven't managed to smuggle any photos out. Martin and Sam are obsessed with keeping things on the Q.T. so as not to spoil the surprise for those customers who are 'prepared to just try something new without having to be reassured by the likes of Trip Advisor or Facebook'...

So, I am nervously putting it out there to say if you've sneaked a photo when they weren't looking - let me know....

Alpaca!

Today has seen us wave farewell to Springbok steaks as they've become somewhat scarce - and hello to Alpaca steaks. Not only is alpaca very tasty indeed, but we've matched it with a Peruvian Chimichurri dip which is so awesome that I'm off home to make some now..

Before I go - The Wine Connection next door asked us round to try some wine from Earl's Barton of all places. We love those guys - and, it turns out, wine from Earls Barton too!

Go on - just a small one..

Tempting - even on a night off to just pop round to Haycock for a crafty nightcap. Maybe tonight is the night to test out the green fairy of an absinthe made the traditional way - from an absinthe fountain.

or maybe just an Old Fashioned this time....

That's done it. I'm off out.

We're on it again this weekend!

Having had a few days to iron out the couple of hiccups discovered at our preview weekend (sorry ladies, we had no idea that the toilet door wouldn't lock!) - we're back on it for our official opening weekend from 6pm this Friday 24th of May.

I've just got back having sampled a bit more meat in the form of zebra, bison - and alpaca (which is strangely like lamb and beef all at once..).

Off to bed for a power sleep now - shrub making tomorrow.

Wow!

Haven't updated until this morning due to emotional fatigue!

We open officially on Friday (24th of May) at 6pm, with the full drinks and food menu available.

Really good feedback about the drinks - and the samples of the food that we sent our smelled fantastic. Tasted some of the springbok - very very nice.

More later..

Madness!

Like a bunch nutters - we progress towards our preview weekend nights tonight and tomorrow with something that lacks any finesse whatsoever.

This is all I've got to say at the moment - maybe more later..

How things seem to come together at the end...

Late last night saw Haycock cleared of tools, surplus materials, empty boxes - and, most importantly, any doubt about whether we would all finish in time!

All the clutter has revealed in its full glory a contemporary version of a 1950s/1960's club room. If that's hard to picture, then the only thing to do is come down and have a good old butchers.

This weekend is a preview where we will be serving drinks, but not the full food menu. We will, instead, be wondering amongst you with complimentary offerings from the supper menu.

You can book on the website, or just drop in. If we're full we'll take a number and let you know when a space has become available.

No photos yet - we were frisked for (well, asked to declare and hand over) camera devices today...#seriously?

Must go, the doorbell just rang (which is how you gain entry by the way).

Monday> it's countdown time..

Today has seen fierce activity on the phones chasing up bottles from Germany (Vielen Dank Klaus), menus, spicy nuts, and Aztec Chocolate Bitters.

Sam has been tasting Stilton and figs. Martin has been tasting success with his idea for Russian Roulette Profiteroles....

Bookings for Friday are a bit mad, but there's space later on in the night, and on Saturday. You're welcome to drop in tho - it's not bookings only.

Off for an early night now. Four sleeps to go.

Just tried a Bloody Mary for breakfast..

...I Prefer Frosties.

Having said that every drink deserves a second chance, so here goes...

Much better second time around, and I'm now in a bloggy mood.

The builders finally get the elbow tomorrow and Sam gets to turn what appears to be a recycling centre for fast food wrappers and fossilised paint brushes into something that resembles his and Martin's vision of what a Cocktail and Supper Room should look like.

Having been inside a few times now I'm starting to see what they're up to, but I can't help feeling that there's even more to come...

The website is finally live, although finding the link to the reservations page is a challenge possibly designed to see off anyone who isn't a free thinker. It is there - just go with your instincts and it will appear to you.

Photos tomorrow? Might manage it, especially if Martin and Sam go off on another 45 minute argument about the best way to say 'bath, scones, and Nene'. I wont go into details, other than to say does it really matter especially when your new place opens in just 5 days time..?

We're taking bookings for the Preview Weekend!

A bit of chilled day today after last night's sampling of Goose Fat Gin and Smokey Bacon Bourbon...(hic)

Martin's been stressing a bit (actually - A LOT!), and forgot to buy a diary before sending an open invite to the world to book for the Preview Weekend on Fri/Sat 17/18th of May!

If you want to reserve a table for cocktails, we get to practice on you with complimentary supper items. Visit the FB page for details:

Facebook Preview weekend details

Not sure if they are keeping the place a mess of boxes, tools, and Greggs wrappers to avoid me getting a few crafty photos - but whatever the reason it's working!

Tomorrow it's all about revising some classics as well as the list cocktails.

Salut for now..

Friday already. One week to go..

Today's update:

Found out the the web page is shorter than the actual name: haycockandtailbar.co.uk - but it's not live yet.

Lots of calls and texts from mates wanting to come to the open night. Martin and Sam don't do open nights. They just open and see what happens!

Apparently, the plan is to have a preview weekend on Fri and Sat 17/18th of May - and then open properly the following Friday for the bank Hol weekend. "What's a preview weekend?" we asked. Apparently again, it's all about inviting people to try various bits of nosh from the menu, but without necessarily charging them for it...Looks like we might bang out a fair few zebra fillets then.

On a lighter note Martin went mental at having got up after 4 hours kip to open up for Eon to change the meter - only for them to decide not to come. The cuddly captain has a darker side..

Training and last minute nerves...

With Haycock and Tailbar Associates due to open its doors in Northampton next week we've been hard at it.

I'm not allowed to say too much, but the idea of a cocktail and supper room sounds odd, but when you're in it it feels like I imagine the original night clubs felt - no loud music and no piss heads - just nice people staying up late and enjoying each other's company.

Will it be the only place in Northampton serving steaks and stuff right up to midnight? Not aware of anywhere else..You?

Keep an eye out for drinks - I will try and discreetly take a few snaps..

Website will be live soon: haycockandtailbar.co.uk