Brought to you by Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor

What should a Valentine’s Day cocktail be? It should definitely be rich and decadent, and it should probably involve chocolate, right? Here you go, with a tip of the hat to the “Cocktail Contessa,” Heather Wibbels—a kindred spirit in Kentucky who delights in creating and evangelizing delicious bourbon cocktails.

“Boys on the Side” is a bourbon-based, silky-rich, chocolatey and fruity bourbon cocktail probably best enjoyed after dinner and paired with some Valentine chocolates or a creamy cheesecake. 

About the ingredients:

The bourbon: I used Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon (90 proof) in my trial cocktail and it worked beautifully, but the Maker’s Mark French Oaked No. 46 or Maker’s Mark 101 (101 proof) would also serve beautifully if you prefer a little more alcohol in your mix. 

Black raspberry liqueur: Chambord is the benchmark for this style of liqueur; it’s French (what could be more romantic?) and pairs perfectly with the chocolate liqueur and bourbon. There are other black raspberry liqueurs as well, many of them marketed as Creme de Mure by a variety of producers. 

Chocolate liqueur: Since Pinnacle brought in the very excellent Creme de Cacao from Sonoma-based Tempus Fugit spirits, I resist using anything else. But there are other creme de cacao options from other producers. If using anyone else’s, I’d recommend using dark creme de cacao rather than light.

The amaro: The recipe calls for an amaro with “hints of coffee and chocolate,” which led me directly to my old friend Averna—a very, very useful and enjoyable amaro that’s more available locally than the Foro amaro Heather suggested.

The bitters: The Cocktail Contessa website calls for smokey/salty “Pooter” bitters from Crude, a small producer in Raleigh, NC. I’ve ordered a bottle to try, but meanwhile I used a combination of Fee Brothers Turkish Tobacco bitters and five drops of the 20-percent saline solution that I keep handy in a dropper bottle. (Read why here. It’s easy to make: Combine 20 grams of kosher or sea salt with 80 grams of warm water.)

BOYS ON THE SIDE
1½ oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon of choice
¾ oz Chambord (or similar black raspberry liqueur)
¼ oz Tempus Fugit Creme de Cacao 
¼ oz Averna amaro 
2 drops Fee Brothers Turkish Tobacco Bitters; Angostura would do in a pinch
5 drops 20-percent saline solution

Combine all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass and stir for 15-20 seconds until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe (or similar), and garnish with skewered fresh or frozen raspberries.   

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Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor are less than a mile from each other, on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton.

Cooks’ World, in business since 1978, is Rochester’s premier retailer of dining, kitchen, and cooking products, including a complete selection of glassware, mixology tools, and accessories for wine and spirits lovers. Follow Cooks’ World on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up here to receive Cooks’ World’s daily email specials and other news. 

Pinnacle Wine & Liquor, in business since 1997, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of spirits and wine from around the world, with a savvy staff to assist in your selection and encourage you along your cocktail and wine journey. Follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Instagram. For the inside track on Pinnacle’s spirits sales, send two text messages to (585)765-7546:
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