Black Manhattan

I generally don’t approve of monkeying around with the classics like Martinis, Manhattans, Sidecars, and the like. They are classics for a reason: they taste wonderful! Variations and “improvements” on the recipe rarely improve anything.
 
That said, a variation occasionally comes along that is so good, it’s basically a whole new thing.  So it is with the Black Manhattan, a cocktail my bud from Atlanta, Peter, called to my attention.
 
This variation on the classic Manhattan starts with rye as usual, but substitutes Averna, an amaro, for the Italian vermouth, and tangy lemon bitters for the typical Angostura bitters. And bang! A whole new cocktail is born – and it’s a humdinger! 
 
Gone is the semi-sweetness of the classic Manhattan, replaced by a darker, tangier, richer flavor. It’s a bit hard-edged at first, but sipped slowly and carefully, this drink reveals layers of flavor that a classic Manhattan (which I still love to make and drink!) does not have. Absolutely delicious!
 
Make a up a few of these and roast some chestnuts on an open fire. Or something. You’ll be singing Joy to the World before you know it!

Black Manhattan

• 2 parts rye

• 1 part Averna (There are lots of other amaros to try, and I plan to. So should you!)

• Solid dash of lemon bitters. (I recommend Scrappy’s Black Lemon bitters. It has a nice, sharp bite on the back end.)

Mix, shake or stir, pour, and sip. Add a few brandied cherries if you'd like. You can serve it straight up, or on a big ice cube, the way I like it. 

Churchill

Originating at London’s Savoy Hotel bar, this mid-century modern marvel is based on Scotch – Winston Churchill’s favorite spirit. Generally speaking, Scotch doesn’t play nicely with other flavors and isn’t often used as a cocktail base.
 
The Churchill is a vibrant exception. Combining a fairly tame blended Scotch like Dewars or Johnnie Walker, with a slug of sweetness and a bit of sour lime results in a spicy, scintillating sipper, refreshing yet somehow perfect for colder weather. That said, I wouldn’t turn one of these down in July. 
 
A shoutout to my Downtown Y buddy Adrienne for alerting me to this one. She’s one of the posse of friends and family who keep me informed and on my toes when it comes to cocktails. 
 
Churchill

• 1.5 ounce Scotch

• .5 ounce Cointreau (Cointreau is the best choice because of its intense sweetness, but you can use another orange liqueur if that’s what you have on hand.)

• .25 ounce sweet vermouth 

• .5 ounce lime juice – squeezed directly from the lime, of course. 

This drink is equally good served straight up or in a rocks glass over one big cube. Just combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice to get it good and cold and serve it either way you wish.

Rusty Nail

As cooler weather finally settles in, and we look to get warmed up, as opposed to cooled down at cocktail hour, I generally move from white to brown, pale to rich/dark. Here’s a beauty on the rich/dark side.
 
A classic from the 1960s, the Rusty Nail has an interesting pedigree that includes being a favorite of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. It’s most often mentioned as an after-dinner drink, but I disagree. Potent, rich, and if you make it my way, not too sweet, this libation will warm you up in no time, while simultaneously filing off the rough edges of your day. Why wait until after dinner?  Though it’s not bad as a post-prandial sip either. 
 
Made with scotch whiskey – rarely used as a cocktail base – and Drambuie, a liqueur made from scotch. Just two ingredients – about as simple as it gets – and fully adjustable to your taste. Recipes in books and online range from equal parts of each, to 4 parts scotch/1 part Drambuie. I like it on the dry side, but you cannot make a bad one!
 
Best to use a good, blended scotch like Johnnie Walker or Dewars, and save your 15-year-old single malt for sipping neat. 
 
Try it, adjust the sweetness to taste, and savor. 
 
Rusty Nail

• 3 or 4 parts scotch

• 1 part Drambuie 

• Stir well with ice and strain into a rocks glass over one big cube. Garnish with an orange or lemon peel if you want to bother.

Man O' War

Occasionally, I like to reach back in the vault and repeat a cocktail from years past, just in case some of you joined the list late and missed it. And because some of them are just SO good, they deserve a repeat.

This is one that’s ideal for the early autumn weather – assuming, of course, that autumn will actually arrive someday. In the spirit of hope, we press on.

When the weather turns chilly – or in this case, less hot – whiskey-based drinks with a big belt of flavor always seem to do the trick at cocktail hour. No more citrusy sipping for us until next spring.

The Man o' War is just such a cocktail. A favorite of my friends, Jim, Brian, and another Brian, I present it here as they make it. Some recipes call for lemon juice. Our guys use lime. 

Somehow the lime juice adds a relatively gentle spicy-sour punch that counters the sweetness of the vermouth and triple sec perfectly. Add all that to a big, full-flavored bourbon, and you've got a flavor bomb you won't soon forget.  

We're told this cocktail was named for the ultra-famous race horse of the same name, and therefore is best made with Kentucky bourbon. All that is fine with me, but not a critical factor. I just like to drink them. So will you.

Man o' War

• 1 ounce bourbon

• 1 ounce lime juice (And by now surely you know – you gotta squeeze it.)

• .5 ounce sweet vermouth

• .5 ounce triple sec 

• Combine, shake, strain, and sip. Garnish with a bit of lime peel if you'd like.
  
  (This makes a 3-ounce cocktail, which is on the light side. But, you can increase the pour by upping the size of each part. Or simply make yourself a second round.)

Grapefruit Negroni

As I have said in this space many times before, I’m a sucker for the classics – those stout, luscious, gorgeous drinks from the first half of the last century – or as I like to call it, the Golden Age of Drinking. I usually disapprove of altering recipes that have stood the test of time, but now and then I run up on a variation that makes me want to take a sip. Or two.
 
This is one of those.
 
Anyone who’s had a Negroni knows how unexpectedly smooth and refreshing combining equal parts gin, Campari, and Italian vermouth can be. So refreshing in fact, that we often want to guzzle, which can be a bad idea. They are strong!
 
This variation cuts the Campari in half, bumps up the gin by half, and adds a touch of grapefruit juice. Also very refreshing on a hideously hot afternoon, like we’ve been having lately, but a little less smooth, and a little bit sour. Still strong, and of course, totally delicious!
 
Shake up a few of these, sip slowly, and feel your cares sinking in the west with the sun.

Grapefruit Negroni

•  2 peeled ruby red grapefruit segments (or 1 ounce fresh ruby red grapefruit juice)

• 1.5 ounces gin

• 1 ounce sweet vermouth

• .5 ounce Campari

Squeeze the grapefruit segments into a shaker and drop in the fruit (or add fresh juice). Add the gin, sweet vermouth and Campari to the shaker with ice, and shake until freezing cold. Strain into a rocks glass, and add a grapefruit peel if you want to bother with garnish. 

Hemingway Daiquiri

I love that our resurgent cocktail culture has, over the last couple of decades, rescued a number of decent cocktails from the indignities of the disco era. Remember all those sweet, frozen, slushie drinks? Forget all that! A Margarita, for example, is NOT something that comes out of an Icee machine. Neither is a Daiquiri. Nor does a Daiquiri have anything to do with sweet fruits like strawberries or peaches. A Daiquiri is made of rum, lime and a sweetener. Period.
 
But, within that general outline, there can be variations. This is one, and it’s a real pip!
 
According to legend – as always, I’m not too concerned whether it’s actually true – Ernest Hemingway, renowned for his boozing as much as for his writing, found the standard Daiquiri recipe of white rum, lime and simple syrup too sweet, and the Havana bar, El Floridita, came up with a boozier, tangier version.
 
And here it is. Two kinds of rum, two kinds of citrus, and Maraschino liqueur instead of simple syrup. Booze forward, not too sweet, and good for what ails ya on a hot afternoon. 
 
Sip a couple of these and you’ll feel like you’re watching the sun go down in Key West – but without the expense of a plane ticket!

You’re welcome. I live to serve.

Hemingway Daiquiri

• 2 oz. white rum

• 3/4 oz. lime juice

• 1/2 oz. grapefruit juice

• 1/3 oz. maraschino liqueur

• 1/4 oz. aged dark rum 

Combine, shake, strain, and sip. Lime wheel for garnish if you wish.

Gin Blossom

Here’s a lovely springtime sipper that feels and tastes like a venerable classic despite its relatively recent 2008 vintage. It sorta reminds me of a classic Martini or a Vesper – but it goes down more smoothly than either.
 
The base sprit is Plymouth gin – a specific brand that’s a bit less edgy than a standard London dry. The gin combines beautifully with blanco vermouth – slightly softer than regular dry vermouth – and the fruity flavor of apricot eau de vie, to create a light, fruit-tinged cocktail that tastes as gentle as a soft spring breeze. 
 
Do not be deceived however! There’s nothing but booze in this one, and you’ll need to respect that or risk getting hammered before you want to. 
 
So, my advice for living in the bliss of the present moment, is to shake up a couple of these, sit outdoors with a loved one, and sip, sip until the sun drops below the trees. You’ll not regret it!

Gin Blossom

• 1.5 oz Plymouth Gin

• 1.5 blanco vermouth

• .75 oz apricot eau de vie

• 2 dashes orange bitters

Combine, shake with ice until freezing cold, and serve straight up.
 
About those ingredients: Using the ingredients called for in the recipe above makes an exceptional cocktail – gentle, smooth, like springtime in a glass. But, you can make it with regular gin, regular dry vermouth, and apricot liqueur (easier to find, and less intense than eau de vie) and you’ll have a pretty darn good drink! So, if you don’t feel like making a special, 100-dollar run to the liquor store go right ahead and make it with what you’ve got on hand!

Aviation

Now and then I repeat a cocktail because I figure some of you may not have been following along for the past 10+ years, and because I tend to forget great drinks if I’m not reminded. Last week a friend and I sipped a couple of these at a local watering hole, and it reminded me of how delicious they are. So, I’m reminding you …

I’m a sucker for the early 20th century classic cocktails – drinks from the hard-drinking days –­ the aughts, teens, and twenties – when men were men, and women drank a lot, too. Or something like that … 
 
Anyway, some of the most enduring cocktails in the canon – think Martini, Manhattan, Sidecar – were devised in the formative years of cocktail culture. 
 
And here’s another one. 

The Aviation is ideal as we transition from winter into spring – gin-based and refreshing but still quite substantial. Invented in New York 1911, its uniqueness relies on the floral sweetness and blue-violet(!) color of crème de violette, and the sweet/bitter gut-punch of maraschino. 
 
This cocktail had more-or-less vanished because crème de violette wasn’t available in the US for decades, but it has come roaring back in recent years, and it’s time you tried one! I mean, it’s purple! How could you not?

Aviation

• 2 ounces gin

• .5 ounce crème de violette

• .25 ounce maraschino (Luxardo is the brand I have on the shelf.)

• .25 ounce lemon juice

• A brandied cherry – stem-on, please

Best to stir this one with ice to keep it clear. Stir for a long time to get it really, really cold and serve straight up. But you can go ahead and shake it if you’re in a hurry. 
 
A word about ingredients: Crème de violette is made from actual violet petals steeped in something alcoholic. It’s sweet and flowery, and expensive. But you won’t need much. I’ve had my bottle for over two years and it’s only half empty. Maraschino, as we have noted in previous months, is an Italian liqueur made from cherries, but it’s not sweet at all. In fact it’s hard and bitter. So a little goes a long way. My bottle of Luxardo is so old, I don’t even remember when I bought it. Larger liquor stores should carry both of these, so get a bottle of each and consider it a lifetime supply.

Long Hello

Despite all the festive holiday toasting that was going on just a short month ago, I usually think of tall sparkling drinks, served in flutes and/or tumblers, as summery – refreshing and ideal for hot weather.
 
But here’s a surprise: A lovely sparkler that will carry you through the bleak winter and right on into spring. Far from a basic glass of champagne – not bad thing itself, of course – this one combines bubbly with apple brandy, elderflower liqueur, woody bitters, and nutmeg (of all things!).
 
The assortment of ingredients here, along with the bitters, make for a rich, layered drink. It goes down smoothy, warms you up, and never fails to entertain. There’s a lot going on, so sip slowly and thoughtfully, and feel the glow.

Long Hello

• .75 oz apple brandy – I’m using Laird’s Applejack here

• .75 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur

• A dash of wood-flavored bitters – I’m using Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters because that’s what I had on the shelf at the moment, but there are lots of other choices. 

• Bubbly on top – can be champagne, cava, or prosecco as long as it’s dry

• A pinch of nutmeg as garnish

Combine the brandy, liqueur, and bitters in a glass and stir with ice. Strain into a flute or cocktail glass and top with the bubbly. Add a small pinch of nutmeg on top.

Telekinesis

Here’s an interesting one that’s perfect for the holidays and cold weather, but it’s not the typical brown, whiskey-based drink. It’s billed by Tuxedo No 2 (tuxedono2.com), a favorite go-to place for all things cocktail, as a tequila-based variation on an evergreen classic, the Negroni. 
 
Maybe so, but somehow the agave and Chartreuse take the mixture into an entirely different zone. Slippery, spicy, and yet very soothing, it becomes a whole new thing. And the Christmas-red color is enticing and lovey.
 
As a rule, I’m sorta meh about tequila, but I love mezcal – also made in Mexico from agave, but with a much richer flavor and bit of smoke on the back end. So, I always try tequila recipes with both. Which is what I recommend you do here. I liked the tequila version, I loved the mezcal version. Your choice.
 
Re, the Yellow Chartreuse, if you see a bottle, it will not be cheap, but grab it anyway, and pay whatever they are asking. The French monks who make Chartreuse – both green and yellow – have declined to increase production while demand has continued to increase. Both colors are getting harder and harder to find. This drink requires Yellow Chartreuse, so if you don’t have a bottle on hand, keep an eye peeled, and/or ask your favorite liquor merchant to alert you when some comes in.

Telekinesis

• 1.5 ounces tequila or (even better) mezcal

• .5 ounce Campari

• .5 ounce sweet vermouth

• .5 ounce Yellow Chartreuse

Combine, stir or shake to get icy cold, and serve straight up.

Between the Sheets

Now that I’m more than 100 cocktails into this 9+ year series, I think it makes sense to re-run a few greats from the past – for those who may have come to the party in recent years, or those who simply need a reminder. Here’s what I said back in September of 2017 …
 
A little naughty, a lot nice
 
This month’s quaff is another classic from the early decades of the last century. Some say it was invented at Harry’s Bar in Paris in the 1930s, others at the Berkely Hotel in London in the 1920s, and still others in Parisian brothels as a soothing sip for the ladies in residence.
 
As usual, I say who cares. It’s a wonderful cocktail with a delightfully naughty name that we can enjoy in the here and now. And isn’t that what really matters?
 
What we have is basically a Sidecar (one of my all-time favorites) with the addition of white rum. Recipes vary, and many of them make a drink that’s a little too sweet for my taste. So, I make mine with more lemon juice than is usually called for. The smooth, light flavor and sweet/tart balance are just about perfect for sipping on a sultry summer afternoon.
 
And who knows where that may lead…
 
Between the Sheets

Equal parts:

• brandy

• white rum

• triple sec

• lemon juice (Gotta be fresh! Don’t even think about the packaged stuff.)

 Shake with ice and serve straight up. Smooth and seductive!

Lemon Drop - Two Ways

Those who’ve known me for more than a minute know that I’m no fan of vodka cocktails. I’ll drink vodka straight or with soda, but not in a cocktail. Cocktails are about flavor, color, and texture, and vodka brings none of this to the party. It only brings heat – so you end up with a strong, but not very interesting, cocktail when vodka is the base. 
 
As always, there are exceptions to the rule. Here’s one: the Lemon Drop. Using the classic sour formula – 2 parts base, 1 part sweet, 1 part sour – the Lemon Drop packs a sweet/sour punch backed by the heat of the vodka that will cool you off on a hot day – and knock your socks right off if you guzzle (which you may be tempted to do) instead of sip. 
 
But, as always, there’s an exception to the exception. Any time I see a vodka recipe that looks interesting, I always try it with gin. And – surprise! – a gin Lemon Drop is just as good, maybe even better, than the vodka version. The sharp edge of the gin adds structure to the drink that will really cut through the hot afternoon crud and make it all better.
 
So, sip it either way with my blessing. They are both deluxe and great for hot weather. And since happy hour is about being happy, the version that makes you happy makes me happy.
 
Lemon Drop

• 2 oz vodka or gin

• 1 oz lemon juice

• .5 oz triple sec (here I’m using Cointreau)

• .5 oz simple syrup

Shake it all up with ice and serve it straight up. That said, served outdoors in a tall glass full of ice wouldn’t be entirely out of order. 

Belfast Bastard

If, now that summer has landed on us with both feet, retreating into something super-crisp and very cold at the end of the day sounds just about right, I’ve got a winner for you here. 
 
It’s yet another variation on the durable, delicious, and rather dangerous Negroni, this time adding the sharp flavor of grapefruit via pamplemousse liqueur, and substituting French vermouth for Italian. Gin is, of course, always a great place to start. Then this drink adds layers of tart/bitter flavor to the sweetness of the vermouth, creating a lovely sip that will simmer you down on a hot afternoon.
 
Be aware that, like the Negroni, this one is all booze – no fruit juice, no mixers – so take it slow and easy. Forget about the weird name, focus on the flavors – and that gorgeous, glowing color – and you’ll feel better shortly!
 
Belfast Bastard

• 2 oz gin

• .5 oz French (dry) vermouth

• .5 oz Campari

• .5 oz pamplemousse (grapefruit) liqueur – I’m using Giffard 

• Dash orange bitters

Combine all with ice and stir (you can shake it if you must) to get it icy cold. Strain into a cocktail glass and sip, sip, sip.

French Blonde

Now that we have moved undeniably into spring, it’s time to bust out the gin and citrus again and start sipping sweet-tart concoctions that refresh and relax.
 
The French Blonde is exactly that.
 
Of fairly recent vintage – apparently coming into focus in the aughts of this century – the current buzz is that it’s supposedly Taylor Swift’s favorite cocktail. I’m going to let each of you decide individually whether that’s a plus or a minus, but I’m here to tell you it’s terrific and bound to become one of my favorites.
 
Relatively light on alcohol, beautifully balanced between sweet and sour, floral and ginny, and so refreshing! A perfect kick-off to the summer sipping season.

French Blonde

• 2 ounces Lillet Blanc

• 2 ounces grapefruit juice (fresh squeezed of course, and try to find a white, not a pink, grapefruit.)

• 1 ounce gin

• 5 dashes lemon bitters

Shake it all up with ice and serve straight up. A lemon twist makes a nice garnish.

Smoke Show

Direct from the balmy shores of Palm Beach, here’s a new one that sips like a venerable classic. 
 
Last month, I paid my annual visit to my totally deluxe pals in Palm Beach, Nedda and Larry. They had been to dinner at a great place on the island called Restaurant 44, where they had had a cocktail called Smoke Show. Larry wanted to make one at home but didn’t have all the ingredients on hand, so he re-created it with what he did have. The night I landed, he made one for me and it was delicious! 
 
Later in the week, we went to Restaurant 44 – beautiful place, great dinner! – and I had one of theirs. Lovely, but I liked Larry’s version better, so that’s what we have here. 
 
As chilly evenings linger here in Nashvegas, you might want to give this boozy, rich, warming, slightly smokey sipper a try. If you’ve already gone over to gin and citrus for the season, save this recipe for next fall. 
 
Smoke Show, ala Larry – a winner!

Smoke Show

• 2 oz Bourbon

• .5 oz Licor 43*

• .5 oz Nocino**

• .25 oz Amaro – I’m using Cynar here, but there are many to choose from and try.

• 1 dash chocolate bitters

Stir all the ingredients with ice to get them cold and strain into a rocks glass with new ice. I like one big cube.

* Licor 43 is a Spanish liqueur with a distinct vanilla flavor.

** Nocino is an Italian walnut-based liqueur. There are several brands. A good liquor store ought to have one of them on the shelf.

Towncar

In honor of the recent – and maybe soon to return – freeze, here’s another dark, heavy drink, perfect for curling up in your favorite chair in your footie pajamas and watching worthless TV. Or for sharing with your friends. Either way it will make things instantly warmer.
 
It’s basically a goosed-up Manhattan, but here’s what Imbibemagazine says about it:
 
When one of the regulars at Apis Restaurant and Apiary in Austin couldn’t choose between three classic cocktails—the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Sidecar—bartender Chelsea Carter invented this mashup on the fly by using the best components of each.
 
Perfection! Rich, mouth-filling, potent. 
 
I owe a shout-out to Jim, one of my partners in cocktail crime, for putting me onto this one. Thanks for many happy sips, buddy!

Towncar

• 1 oz. rye whiskey

• 1 oz. cognac (Could also be plain old brandy. I’ve made it both ways.)

• ½ oz. dry curaçao (Any not-too-sweet orange liquor will do.)

• ½ oz. sweet vermouth

• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

• 1 dash orange bitters

Stir with ice to get it freezing cold, then strain onto new ice in an Old Fashioned or rocks glass.

Eggnog

Okay, it has finally come to this: Eggnog. I don’t like complicated drinks, with lots of weird ingredients and complicated steps. And I do not enjoy separating eggs. But eggnog is the quintessential holiday drink, and after nine+ years of not doing it in this series, the time had come.
 
Eggnog’s history goes back deep into the 18th century, but this is not the place to review all that. Just know that it’s creamy, soothing, and – if you make it right – boozy. Eggnog is a universally delicious beverage with the capacity to improve any holiday gathering. What’s not to like?
 
The base sprit can be bourbon, brandy, or dark rum. There are fierce partisans for each, but I like all of them equally. Last night we combined bourbon and brandy and it was delicious! So, suit yourself. 
 
Also this: it’s great to make in large batches, and it saves well for months in the fridge, so make up a couple of gallons, and you can sip with your friends right through New Years Eve! 
Merry, merry! 

Eggnog (This recipe comes from Liquor.com, but there are many others) 

• 2 eggs, separated

• 1/4 cup sugar, divided

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup  bourbon, brandy, or dark rum

• Garnish: grated nutmeg (you can also add a cinnamon stick)

Steps
Serves 4

• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of the sugar until fluffy.

• Stir in the milk, heavy cream and your spirit of choice.

• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar until soft peaks form.

• Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture.

• Divide between four rocks glasses.

• Garnish each with freshly grated nutmeg.

Storm King

I love to sip a good Scotch whiskey, neat or with a cube of ice. But as a rule, its flavors don’t play nicely with others. Aside from the venerable classic, the Rob Roy, there are very few Scotch-based cocktails out there.
 
But here’s an exception, and it’s a winner!
 
Absolutely perfect for autumn, its medium-dark flavors and colors, and spicy tang are warming and refreshing at the same time. According to Damon Boelte, its originator, they evoke the crisp air and fall leaves along the Hudson River Valley, where the Storm King Arts Center is located. Hence the name.
 
Be that as it may, the deal here is the drink itself, and you are going to love the complex flavors. Tangy, herbal Benedictine and smooth/sweet-ish nocino are out front, with the smoke and punch of the Scotch just peeking through. 
 
Lovely! Sip a few and ease into the holidays.

Storm King

• 2 ounces blended Scotch whiskey 

• .5 ounce nocino

• .25 ounce Benedictine

• 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine the ingredients iand stir or shake to get it frosty cold. Serve straight up. 

A word on ingredients: You can use any Scotch you want to, but a medium-bodied blend with a bit of smoke/peat flavor works best. I used Johnnie Walker. Nocino is a walnut-based liquor from Italy and not well-known here. Similar in flavor and feel to a not-too-heavy amaro, it’s lovely to sip neat as a digestif, but it also works well in cocktails. A larger liquor store like Midtown or Total Wine will have one or maybe more to choose from.

Naked & Famous

I don’t name ‘em, folks (unless it’s my own creation) I just mix, serve, and drink ‘em. I have no idea about the reason for the name – if there is one. I do know the recipe was devised in NYC at the iconic Death & Co. (another sorta weird name, though appropriate for Halloween). Generally considered a good pedigree. 
 
None of that really matters though. Flavor and buzz are what we seek in a cocktail – and this baby delivers big time! Sweet, smokey, and tart all at the same time. Boozy, but bright. Light, but not too light. And a gorgeous color. Absolutely perfect for fall drinking. 
 
Combine all that with an easy-to-remember equal parts recipe, and you’ve got a winner.

This one’s a new favorite of mine!

Naked & Famous

Equal parts*:

• Mescal

• Aperol

• Yellow Chartreuse

• Lime juice (fresh of course)

 Mix, shake until freezing, strain, and sip. Lovely!

* A "part" can be any amount you want, but .75 ounce is a good place to start.

NIFTY FIFTY

About 15 years ago, I was asked by Fifty Forward, a Nashville non-profit, to come up with a signature cocktail for their annual fund-raising dinner. Only too glad to comply, I played around in the lab here at the house and came up with three recipes for a committee to test – all using Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur – and I present the winning recipe, the Nifty Fifty, herewith.

This is a winning combo based on – what else? – gin and citrus, God’s gift to drinkers everywhere, and spiced up with Domain de Canton, the absolutely lovely ginger-flavored liqueur. If you don’t have a bottle, you need to get one right away. It’s refreshing on the rocks with a little soda water and/or lime and it’s terrific in cocktails.

The Nifty Fifty blends all the wonders of gin, ginger and citrus to make one spectacular  – but pretty serious – sip. So, shake up a few and proceed with caution.

Nifty Fifty

• 3 parts gin

• 2 parts Domaine de Canton

• 1 part lemon juice (Need we say it? You have to squeeze it!)

Easy as 3-2-1! Drink up and enjoy!