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Category: Cocktails
Tonight’s cocktail is an Old Fashioned/Manhattan variation I just had to try. This recipe swaps out Benedictine for the simple syrup/sweet vermouth to provide floral and herbal flavors with the spicy sweet rye whiskey. Served simply in a chilled rocks glass, this flavorful concoction is warm and soothing – perfect for a Friday happy hour relaxation. The history of this cocktail is quite brief, the best reference I found was that is was first documented in David Embury’s 1948 tome, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. I like this cocktail a lot. The Benedictine adds a wonderfully different aspect to the classics it is based on, something that feels special when you sip it. By all means, try this one… it…
With the holiday party and celebration season upon us, tonight’s cocktail is perfect for such events. From my research, it appears this cocktail is well over 150 years old and that it was crafted upon the death of Prince Albert (yes, Queen Victoria’s Prince Consort) at the Brook’s Club in London in 1861. Thinking that drinking champagne might construe celebrating this somber event, the bartender floated Guinness on top to mimic the mourner’s black armbands. The result became this wonderful, yet under appreciated cocktail. Well given that I really enjoy sparkling wines – champagne, cava, prosecco, etc – I just had to try this one and extol its charms. Give it a try and enjoy something a bit different this…
One of the few classic cocktails to include scotch, this cocktail was named after the 1922 Rudolph Valentino movie and first appeared in Harry Craddock’s 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book. This drink’s popularity seems to ebb and flow, but I will wager that if you try it, this scotch based cocktail will become a perennial favorite. I decided to try making this classic using a new single malt scotch I recently found – Glen Fohdry from William S. Grant. This scotch is perfectly enjoyable neat, so I decided why not give it a try in this cocktail. The results were… well, less than impressive. There was a pronounced bitter aspect and unbalance between the scotch and other ingredients, typical of most scotch based…
Let’s celebrate tonight’s happy hour with a century old cocktail that seems like a riff on the venerable Manhattan, but truly stands on its own. This combination of rye whiskey and sherry with a splash of orange/cognac liqueur creates a uniquely complex set of flavors. Depending on the type of sherry used, this cocktail could range from a slightly biting dry to a silky smoky sweetness. Unfortunately, all I had on hand was a cream sherry – a notoriously sweet sherry – and the resulting drink was indeed sugar forward but nonetheless enjoyable. Since I like Manhattans, there was more than a strong chance I would like this drink. And I do (even with the cream sherry!)… so now to collect a…
Wow, this week has been a whirlwind. Between meetings and meet-ups, chores, recipe development and experimentation, and other tasks, I am ready to slow down and catch my breath. What better way to relax than with a new Happy Hour tipple – the Embarcadero. The Embarcadero cocktail is a variant of the Manhattan with amaro replacing the Angostura bitters. I was not able to find much more about this cocktail other than it is based on a recipe on Liquor.com from the renowned mixologist Claire Sprouse (@clairesprouse). I love researching the back story to the cocktail and I figured this one had to have an interesting one. But alas, it appears it does not or if it does, it has not been documented. Well, not having…
Last Summer, I featured Brazil’s national cocktail – the caipirinha – which is made from cachaça, sugar and lime. I recently encountered this cachaça based drink (which one resource claimed is Brazil’s original cocktail or coquetel in Portuguese) – primarily a smooth blend of cachaça and sweet vermouth. Roughly rabo de galo translates into ‘rooster’s tail’ or ‘cock’s tail’, appropriate for a simple tipple. After reading the description of the rabo de galo, I just had to try it. With some additional research, it appears the only thing in consensus about this cocktail is that it has no defined recipe. The most common recipes use 2 parts cachaça to 1 part sweet…
Here is another coffee based cocktail, a twist on the Italian ‘corrected coffee’. Caffè Corretto describes anytime espresso has been ‘augmented’ with a spirit like grappa, sambuca, brandy, etc. For my variation, I decided to increase the coffee depth by adding Galliano Ristretto while adding a subtle sweetness and herbal aspect with amaro and simple syrup. This cocktail is the Flatliner’s best friend – strong and reliable, yet easy going and self-effacing. Caffè Corretto is another easy sipper that works best as an after-dinner libation or dessert accompaniment – perfect for what I wanted tonight. Ahhh… time to relax and enjoy the evening, just me and my ‘corrected coffee’. I hope you enjoy your Friday evening too…
Just in time for Halloween partying is this spookily named cocktail, the Cadáver Reviver. While it is not scary in appearance (i.e. this cocktail does not contain ingredients simulating blood or other ghoulish additives), it is based on tequila which is dangerous enough by itself! I like the wonderfully complex yet fresh taste of this cocktail; to me it is a very interesting twist on a margarita. It is an easy sipper that will either keep you dancing at the party or will get you to relax into a semi-catatonic state. So which do you decide to be – the Thriller or a Zombie? Either way, this cocktail satisfies! Save Print Cadáver Reviver Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves…
First, let me apologize for missing last week’s cocktail post. It was a hectic day that stretched into a hectic weekend and no one was probably more disappointed than I. So, in keeping with the theme of being on track (like the recent menu posts), let’s get Friday’s happy hour started… Here is a cocktail that is just a bit different. Many people (including myself until now!) only think of using rum in sweeter cocktails or mixed with tropical ingredients like orange, lime, pineapple, etc. But the closest association with a tropical fruit in tonight’s cocktail is orange bitters and an orange peel twist as the garnish. This drink heavily relies on rum’s sweetness to harmonize with…
Tonight’s cocktail showcases a new ingredient, amaro, and a few old favorites. I found this recipe on the Washington Post courtesy of the now closed Poste Moderne Brasserie and I have to admit I was extremely intrigued by the combination of ingredients. This recipe is my take on the original. The original recipe included brewed coffee that I substituted for Galliano Ristretto while playing with the proportions. I think I have a solid drink here – slightly bitter yet slightly sweet with a wonderful slight syrupy mouth feel. Maybe it should have been named ‘Unrequited Love’ with a description like that! Anyway, here is to your first Friday of October and let’s slide into the beginning of the holiday season with a…