Dirty Sue

On an otherwise ordinary shift at the restaurant Jones Hollywood, long time Los Angeles bartenders, Eric Tecosky and Terry Fradet ran out of olive juice and were left with a full bottle of olives. One year later, Dirty Sue was born. I got a chance to steal a few minutes of Eric’s time to get the skinny on this and other inventive products from American Mixers.

Consumers Corner: You started producing Dirty Sue a few years ago but the big question is who is Sue and why is she so dirty?

Eric Tecosky: I can never reveal who Sue is. And she's only as dirty as you like your martinis. Sometimes she's a little dirty and sometimes she's filthy. She caters to everyone's needs.

[Editors Note: She sounds perfect!]

CC: Dirty Sue is finding it way across the country; have you found a nation wide distributor to bring the mix to all of the Dirty Martini lovers?

ET: We are with national distributors, although they are all run state by state. Dirty Sue is available in 7 states and Canada. If she is not available in your state, you can order off of the website. Or if you are a bar or liquor store, you can contact us for bulk pricing.

CC:What is your favorite Dirty Sue original recipe?

ET: I like the classic dirty: 3 ounces of Ketel One vodka, 3/4 ounce of Dirty Sue - shaken and strained into a chilled martini glass. The Dirty Senorita is also becoming very popular. Just swap out Ketel One with your favorite tequila and garnish with jalapeno stuffed olives.

CC: I love you shirt designs, which is the most popular?

ET: For men, it's the black shirt and for women it's the blue cap sleeve shirt. We are also in the process of creating brand new designs that should be available in the next few months.

CC: The Seat Saver is your latest invention, where did the idea for this revolutionary product come from?

ET: Since most states have gone smoke free in bars and restaurants, patrons are having a hard time indicating that they are going to return to their seat and/or drink when they go out for a smoke. Bartenders end up 'policing' the bar for customers and more often than not, seat ownership is in question. Also, busboys have a habit of clearing unattended drinks. We tried to solve the problem for months before deciding to just put a hole in a coaster. The Seat Saver works like a traditional coaster, and then when a customer leaves the bar to grab a smoke, make a call or use the restroom, The Seat Saver comes to the rescue.

CC: I read Bacardi has joined in co-branding the product in and around Hollywood, any other co-branding opportunities in the works?

ET: We just made a very large run for a major tobacco company and are in various levels of production with many beer and alcohol companies.

CC: Do you have any other big product plans for 2007?

ET: We just started working on a clothing line for women and men that should hopefully be ready for the fall.

I want to thank Eric for taking time out to talk to us and we wish the American Mixer guys the best of luck into 2007.