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Category: Cocktails
While researching last week’s cocktail, Remember the Maine, I came across this one. The golden hue and the combination of ingredients had me immediately intrigued. And wow, what a deliciously complex cocktail! This beauty is over 100 years old, comes in various forms and is actually a tweak of a tweak on the venerable Manhattan. The original tweak is the Red Hook – rye, sweet vermouth and maraschino and this one swaps out the sweet vermouth for dry and amaro for the bitters while retaining the maraschino for sweetness. This cocktail has layers of flavors and I have to admit in many ways it is superior to the Manhattan. Now… don’t go interrupting my Friday night happy hour by giving me a Bronx…
In honor and remembrance of the 120th anniversary of the disastrous USS Maine incident on February 15th, 1898, tonight’s cocktail is also reminder that ‘fake news’ is nothing new (regardless of your views and beliefs). In the aftermath of this terrible incident in which 260 men died, two high powered publishers used their influence to inflame the situation and foster an atmosphere that resulted in the Spanish-American War. This cocktail is another variation on the venerable Manhattan. Originally documented in 1939 in Charles H. Baker, Jr’s The Gentlemen’s Companion after a raucous trip to Havana in 1933 during Batista’s coup, it is reported Baker served this cocktail with the advice “Treat this one with the respect…
Tonight’s cocktail is another riff on one of my favorite drinks – the Manhattan. This twist on the classic could actually be better as it’s flavors are deep and reflective. Created in San Francisco’s Bourbon & Branch by Todd Smith, this simple substitution of Averno for sweet vermouth really changes this cocktail’s taste profile. This beauty is perfect for a rowdy happy hour or quiet, intimate moments; it can be the life of the party or the epitome of relaxed style. For me, I am choosing the latter – relaxed at home enjoying this wonderful cocktail! Happy Friday everyone! Save Print Black Manhattan Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 3 oz…
Tonight’s cocktail is a riff on the Millionaire that I believe is aptly named since it is a step above. The key ingredient in this drink is the pomegranate syrup and while it is only a small amount, it is necessary. Of course, I did not buy any of the commercially available pomegranate syrups you can find at the store (although you can, but be aware that they may just be high fructose corn syrup with red food coloring!), I made my own. And I skipped the whole process of dealing with the actual pomegranate fruit to get the juice laden arils. How you ask? Simple, I reduced a small amount of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice which is 100% juice. The results… nothing short of…
The other night I was flipping channels on the TV and stopped to watch Star Trek: Voyager. It was an interesting episode, but the part that I found funniest (yes, I know it is a space drama) was when Neelix calls out Tuvok for always having to get the last word in. The repartee between them is writing gold, in my opinion. Now we all know that person (or persons) that just have to have the last word. Heck, you may even recognize you yourself as being that type of person. Well, this cocktail is not for them because it is the Next to the Last Word, which probably suits you and me to a tee, correct? All kidding aside, this beauty is a riff on the revived…
Last week was a rare appearance of gin on the Friday cocktail post, so I decided to add another this week after I received so much fanfare for the Gin & It. Now, this cocktail is quite the conundrum because it has been published in a variety of possible concoctions. If you do not believe me, read this absolutely wonderful brief cocktail history for yourself, compliments of Jamie Boudreau’s post on Spirits and Cocktails! My thanks to Jamie for his thorough research and witty writing! This Trilby variant is the kissing cousin to last week’s Gin & It. Instead of using Italian vermouth to add the sweetness to the dry gin, this tipple relies on dry vermouth in a 1 to 1 ratio to…
Happy New Year everyone! For this first Friday of 2018, let’s indulge in a gin cocktail. No, not your typical martini per se, but a sibling to that vaunted and oh-so difficult to peg down bar staple. This simple twist on that martini features bold botanicals that sooth while warming the soul. Made with London dry gin and Italian vermouth, this ‘Gin & It’ has as clouded a back story as any cocktail. My research came up with many various ways it came into being, but the one that resonates with me is the story about this drink originally being called a ‘Gin & Cin’ – gin mixed with Cinzano sweet vermouth. If made with any other Italian vermouth, I can…
As this year quickly slips into history, I thought it would be appropriate to end the year with another classic cocktail. It is interesting to note that I really enjoy the primary ingredients that compose this cocktail, but have never had this one before. Well, I am going to rectify that tonight. Reportedly created by Walter Bergeron at the Carousel Bar in New Orleans in the 1930’s, this beauty reminds me of the original Sazarec, which is another cocktail I really enjoy. I think this easy sipper may quickly become my new favorite in the new year. Yes, it is that good! Save Print Vieux Carré Ingredients 1 oz rye whiskey 1 oz cognac 1 oz sweet vermouth ¼ oz benedictine 2 dashes Angostura bitters 2…
Do you think the spritz is a drink for summer only? Well, here is a holiday cocktail based on sparkling wine from those creative geniuses at America’s Test Kitchen. A friend mentioned I should try this one and well, it is just about perfect as an easy sipper at a holiday party. It pairs well with all those rich, delicious holiday foods from appetizers to dessert. The combination of St. Germain, Aperol, and sweet vermouth with sparkling wine is uncommon, but it really works. Of course, I tweaked my version by substituting Lillet Blanc for the sweet vermouth and increasing the St. Germain by a small amount. The results are outstanding in my opinion. Make it and see for yourself… I think you will definitely…
Let’s celebrate another holiday season with a flavor bursting bourbon based cocktail with cherry and absinthe. This is yet another twist on a Manhattan (or a Sazerac), which is not a bad thing at all considering I really enjoy them. Yes, I am having fun trying all these variations and sharing them with you. Historically, I could not find out much about this cocktail. I can only think this cocktail was so named by some young bartender still harboring resentment at finding out Christmas presents were an ‘Inside Job’ and that Santa Claus does not exist. Or maybe that is just my fanciful yuletide imagination! Either way, let’s celebrate the holidays with this boozy Manhattan/Sazerac riff. After a few, you will…