Edible stories told here
like Die Hard is a Christmas movie this is a Christmas cocktail. What’s a whiskey sour topped with red wine? A New York Sour. What’s the best Christmas song? Fairy Tale of New York. Whose a red head? Santa! According to Rankin and Bass -the definitive authorities on all the pop culture Christmas origin stories. […]
Add a little spice to your eggnog, add a little spice to your life with this double dose of ginger- ginger infused brandy (or rum or whiskey) adds a kick to the eggnog while a gingersnap simple (ish) syrup adds a hint of cookie to your cream. I’m sure there are other uses for this […]
Atop our bar sits a tattered copy of “Cocktail Bill Boothby’s World Drinks and How to Mix Them”. In faded brown ink the original owners (the Mr’s grandparents) signed their name and the year – 1952- on the title page. Some sections are pristine, some, like the section on Manhattans, have notes on how to […]
Is it still a Manhattan when there is no bourbon? no cherry? Still the essence is there, the oak aged brandy, the carpano antica sweet vermouth, a dash of bitters. A brandy cocktail worth repeating. I keep one fancy vermouth and one inexpensive vermouth (sweet and dry) on hand because it makes a difference sometimes. […]
The subtle spice of cardamon and clove play nice with a kick of brandy, and a not too sweet chocolate chaser. Best of all, on a hot summer evening- frozen. Chai Brandy Alexander cocktails are the dessert drink I can’t wait to share with a crowd. The brandy alexander is a lesson in moderation. When […]
Rich, thick, and strong- balanced between booze, sweet and spicy. This little morsel is the perfect stormy day companion. This not, however, the sort of ‘recipe’ you should try if you want to get things done. Heat+Chocolate+Booze=snuggle up on the couch and listen to the rain smack against the window panes, light a fire, put […]
Almost sidecar, almost amaretto sour, this cocktail beautifully balances the cherries’ sweetness with the subtle nutty notes of amaretto and the citrus tang of fresh lemon. This drink isn’t boozy, it is- as it should be- mostly about the cherries. When the first cherries arrive they seem so grand, so dark and decadent, a reminder […]
When I was a little girl being sick meant Mom would bring me ginger ale and hot lemon and honey to sooth my throat. It meant staying home from school and watching Perry Mason and the Price is Right on daytime television, Mom’s cool hand on my hot forehead. Comfort. Love. Like Christmas, being sick […]
Why you should infuse your own liquor When I want a twist on a traditional cocktail I look in the spice cabinet. Ginger, Pepper, Cardamom, Coffee. To add these flavors to your cocktails you have two choices, an infused simple syrup or an infused liquor. I’m fickle. Half the time when I make a […]
